Once Again
by RobertDogwood
Summary: It takes place a few months after the destruction of Ultimecia. Esthar and Galbadia are still at war. Squall and Quistis are assigned a secret mission in Deling City. Selphie and Zell are sent to Timbe Rated R for language, violence and sexual situations.
1. Default Chapter

Once Again

A Final Fantasy VIII Fan Fic

By RobertDogwood@aol.com

FF VIII characters and locations are owned by Squaresoft.

All orginal characters and plot Copyright RobertDogwood 2001

Forward

The title refers to Once Again into the Breech (or once again into battle). It takes place a few months after the destruction of Sorceress Ultimecia. Esthar and Galbadia are still at war. Squall and Quistis are assigned a secret mission in Deling City. Selphie and Zell are sent to Timber to search for missing SeeD's. Rinoa begins to attend classes in her quest to become a SeeD and Seifer returns to the Garden.

It's long, but I feel worthwhile to read. Rated R for language, violence and sexual content.

Once Again

Chapter one

_ Squall Takes a Plunge_

Selphie and Quistis Go Hunting

Rinoa Takes a Fall

Nida's Revenge 

Rinoa moved languidly off Squall's bed in his tiny SeeD bedroom that now seemed a bit larger, since he had left to attend morning staff meeting and then make his daily rounds of the entire Garden. This usually would take him all of the morning and part of the early afternoon. She wanted badly to take a shower but, of course, could not use the shower in the men's quarters. In fact, she was not even allowed in the men's quarters, but since Squall had been so instrumental in defeating Sorceress Ultimecia and saving the entire world from time compression and currently being second-in-command of the entire Garden (actually first, since Headmaster Cid only handled administrative duties), everyone would turn their heads and ignore Rinoa's nocturnal visits to Squall's room.

Unfortunately most of Rinoa's clothing had been badly ripped in their sexual _ hijinks _ of the night before and, not feeling as though she wanted to waste any more time rummaging through Squall's badly disorganized closet to search for more appropriate clothing, she decided to just gather up what was left of her almost totally ruined outfit and hold it up, as if it were a shield in front of her sheer bra and panties, while attempting to quickly run down the corridor to the women's quarters.

Rinoa ordinarily wouldn't have considered such a foolhardy endeavor owing to her innate sense of modesty, but it was fairly early in the morning and the dayshift would have already left to report for duties and classes and the night shift would be just laying down to sleep.

Rinoa quietly tiptoed to the door and cracked it open to take a quick furtive glance down the corridor and, observing the hallway appeared clear, she quickly took a step outside of the room not realizing the door locked behind her. She immediately heard voices moving in her direction. _ Oh, no, _ Rinoa thought, _ It sounds like Zell and Irvine! _ She quickly spun and attempted to open the door as she heard Irvine call out, "Good Morning, Rinoa."

As the two young men continued to quickly move up the corridor towards her and, as they hadn't yet fully grasped the situation, Rinoa frantically attempted to open the locked door. Just as Zell and Irvine came walking up, Rinoa, in her haste to avoid embarrassment, dropped what was left of the ruined outfit and turned to face them clad only in her sheer bra and panties that left little to the imagination. Irvine burst out laughing. Zell immediately turned bright red from his own embarrassment and quickly turned away, although Rinoa noticed he kept stealing little glances at her predicament.

"This is a great way to begin the morning," laughed Irvine, who was gazing intently at her, as if attempting to memorize her near nudity for future reference. "Is there anything I can do to help you, Rinoa, on this fine day?"

"For one thing," she snapped, "You could quit undressing me with your eyes and help me open this door."

Irvine responded, "I don't have to undress you with my eyes for obvious reasons and the door appears to be locked and, not having a key with me to Squall's private quarters, I don't think I can help you with that problem either, but are you sure there isn't anything else I could do?"

While Irvine was enjoying himself immensely being engaged in his usual bantering with an attractive, young woman, Zell busied himself with gathering what remained of Rinoa's clothing and handing it to her, although Rinoa noticed he was now boldly looking her up and down.

"Thank you, Zell. At least _ someone _ here is a gentleman," said Rinoa.

Irvine suggested, "Why don't we escort you down to the women's quarters, before Xu and Squall show up to do their morning inspection?"

"Oh Great Hyne!" exclaimed Rinoa. "I forgot all about that."

"We should probably go now," directed Zell and taking her gently by the arm began to walk her quickly down the corridor with a laughing Irvine following behind.

As they passed one room, Nida stepped out and then suddenly paused with a startled "Oh!"

"What's the matter with you?" demanded Irvine speaking to Nida. "Can't you say good morning?"

As the trio quickly stepped by Nida, Irvine whispered in Rinoa's ear, "The poor sap has probably never seen a woman undressed before. Rinoa, you probably are now the highlight of his life."

Rinoa realized, with a groan, now everyone in the Garden would probably hear about this by nightfall. "Just get me to Selphie's room," she snapped.

Irvine took off his cowboy hat with a large flourish and bowed. "We aim to please."

"Cut the crap, Irvine," Zell retorted. "And let's go."

The trio reached the end of the long corridor and opened the main door leading to the women's corridor. Three young women students, who were standing there gossiping as they did every morning, looked up and giggled. Irvine, Zell and the, by now, completely befuddled Rinoa stood in front of Selphie's door.

"Selphie, open up!" demanded Irvine as he knocked rapidly on the door.

"Go away," said a voice from inside the room. "It's too early in the morning to put up with you."

Irvine explained, "There's a friend out here who really wants to see you."

"Now what in the world?" Selphie opened the door. "Holy shit! What are you doing, Rinoa?!" She grasped Rinoa by the arm and dragged her quickly into the room and slammed the door.

Irvine turned to Zell and commented, "This is all the _ thanks _ we get for helping out a damsel in distress."

"Just cut the crap, Irvine," retorted Zell turning away and beginning to travel back down the hall.

* * *

"What in the hell are you doing, Rinoa? Parading around in your underwear in the hallways?!"

"Selphie, please. I've had a heckuva morning so far and I really just need to take a long hot shower."

"Oh, sure. You can parade around with my Irvy and Zell wearing practically nothing and then you don't even have the common decency to explain it to me. Well, I'm pissed, Rinoa! What if I hadn't been here? Then what would you have done?"

Rinoa, understanding she had hurt her friend's feelings, relented and replied she would be happy to explain everything to her, but only after she had taken a hot shower. Rinoa glanced around the room and, noticing her long blue duster she had worn all through the time of battling Galbadia and the Sorceress, wrapped it around herself and stepped out in the corridor. She headed down to the showers listening to the same three female students giggling behind her back.

Back in the room, Selphie fumed. "The hell with this noise. I'm going to find out about this from Irvine!" Selphie checked the back of both of her boots and then slammed out of the room and strode down the women's corridor leading to the main hallway that would take her to the Garden rotunda.

* * *

On the third floor of the Garden, Squall sat at a long conference table in Headmaster Cid's newly remodeled office listening to Cid ramble on concerning Garden's fiscal report. Squall didn't know how he tolerated this every morning of his life, but there just didn't appear to be any way to escape it. He had attempted to step down from his current position many times and become an ordinary SeeD again, but to no avail; not only would Cid and Xu not allow it, but also all of his friends promised him to make his life even more miserable if he quit.

"Squall, are you listening?"

Xu's sharp question brought him rudely back to the present.

"Whatever," he replied.

"Well, I thought you might be interested in this, since it involves Laguna and Esthar." Xu retorted.

"Please go on," Squall said in a resigned tone.

"Thank you," Xu replied. "As you know the current war between Galbadia and Esthar is stalemented. Esthar is only making sporadic attacks because of difficulties with their logistics due to the great distance they have to travel. Another of their concerns is regarding the Galbadian Missile Program and whether or not it is up and running again."

Xu continued, "Esthar has a superior missile program, but is unable to implement it because of the fallout that might damage the very countries they are fighting to protect. Consequently, Laguna is very worried because, if Galbadia's Missile Program becomes active again, Esthar would be at a distinct disadvantage. President Loire also doesn't know who is in charge of the Galbadian government at this time. It makes it extremely difficult for him to formulate his own war strategy, because he doesn't know to read his opponent."

Cid asked, "Where do we fit in all this?"

Xu answered, "Galbadia is still controlling Dollet, Timber and Winhill and could take over F.H. and Balamb anytime they want. There are many splinter resistance groups located in and around Timber and Dollet. President Loire has asked us to send a small group of SeeDs to Timber, Dollet and possibly Winhill to try to coordinate some cooperation between these groups. Whipping up any kind of opposition in F.H. would seem to be counterproductive at this time, because of the political stance of Mayor Dobe."

Squall remembered with a grimace what a _ feeb _ Major Dobe was.

Xu went on to say, "Also, President Loire has requested we send two of our top SeeDs into Deling City on a recognizance mission in an attempt to ferret out who is in control of their government."

Squall perked up a little at this bit of startling news. This could be his ticket out of Garden for a while. Fighting is always what Squall did best, and downtime from his fighting was a killer for him. It would help him to avoid these deadly meetings for a period of time and also, to tell the truth, Rinoa was beginning to wear him out. He could use a break there, too.

Xu continued, "We have already sent out the first group of SeeDs to Timber and Dollet, but now we need to decide who is going to Deling City."

"It's obvious," Squall said. "It'll be me and Quistis."

Xu began to shake her head violently. "You're too well known in Deling City to attempt this."

"Hear me out," Squall protested.

"I'd rather throw you out," Cid giggled, but quickly regained his composure and apologized.

Squall went on say, "We traveled back and forth from Deling City many times during our past missions. Their security is amazingly slight; just a bunch of bored, low pay soldiers. Besides, think about it. You can't send Zell because he is too excitable and Irvine, in that cowboy outfit would stick out like a sore thumb. Selphie might do in a pinch; at least she could keep them mesmerized with her short dress and momentary flash of panties, but Quistis would be best. She'll do a fine professional job."

As Xu started to disagree, Cid stood up from the table and exclaimed, "Good. That's taken care of."

Squall stood up with some alacrity, happy to discover the meeting over.

"I'll go with you and Xu on your rounds today," Cid explained. "I think it's good for morale, if the students see me around a little bit more."

* * *

It didn't occur to Rinoa, until after she had taken her shower, she had left the room so quickly she had forgotten to grab a towel. As she glanced around the shower room for something to use she noticed she had carelessly thrown her underwear on the wet shower room floor. _ Oh well, _ she thought. _ I didn't want to put them on over my nice clean body, anyway. _

Rinoa realized she didn't want to ruin her long blue duster by using it as a towel and anyway she was going to have to try and wrap it around her, as best she could for the short trip back to the room. She would just have to go down soaking wet and dry off in the room, although she knew this would infuriate Selphie, who could be so anal-retentive at times.

Rinoa gathered up her wet underwear and wrapped the duster around her as best she could. Although she realized it still left a lot of her body indecently exposed, she was certain this would be okay because no men were allowed in the women's quarters. She could walk down the hall stark naked, if she wanted to.

Rinoa opened the shower room door and proceeded down to her and Selphie's room. Rinoa attempted to open the door, but it was locked. She gently knocked on the door saying, "Selphie, let me in. It's me."

There was no reply. Rinoa knocked a little louder and said "Selphie! Let me in."

_ Oh great, _ Rinoa thought with a groan. _ Now what? She must have gone out and locked the door behind her. _

Just then the same three young women students from earlier in the day materialized from around the corner. Upon seeing Rinoa in her present condition they halted their conversation, looked at each other and giggled and decided to remain and see what would happen next.

Before Rinoa could turn to the young women and ask if she could stay in one of their rooms until Selphie returned, she heard voices coming down the hallway. She turned her head and saw Squall, Cid and Xu inspecting rooms.

"Oh Shiva!" she gasped. "I forgot about dorm checks."

Rinoa was so distraught she was unable to think rationally concerning what her next course of action should be, so she collapsed to the floor on her knees in an effort to hide as much of her body as she possibly could, since they were now coming out of the room next to her and Selphie's room.

"Oh!" exclaimed Cid. "Rinoa's fallen and hurt herself," Cid pointed out, rushing to her aid.

Cid bent down and attempted to help the struggling Rinoa to regain her feet.

"I'm okay. Please don't help me," pleaded Rinoa.

But Cid continued to help Rinoa up and, in the process, her duster fell to the floor fully revealing her nakedness.

Cid immediately backed up, his mouth hanging open and Xu started uncharacteristically laughing. Squall slapped his forehead with the palm of his right hand in his familiar gesture.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," babbled Rinoa, while attempting unsuccessfully to cover her ample charms with her hands. "I'm locked out."

Xu stepped forward with the passkey. "I can rectify that," Xu said unlocking the door. Rinoa fled inside followed by the mocking tone of the giggling girls.

* * *

Selphie strode down the main dormitory corridor leading to the Garden's rotunda. The rotunda was the center of the first floor. The rotunda resembled a hub of a wheel having corridors leading out in different directions, as if they were spokes. In the interior of the hub, as one walks along the wall, there is a large circular pool of beautiful blue water with fish statues every few feet or so spouting water. The corridors also led over small pools of water. Selphie strode past the blue water pool and fountains attempting to decide where to begin her search for Irvine. She decided to try the library first; not that Irvine was interested in reading that she'd ever noticed, but he was _ always _ interested in attempting to hustle the young women who worked there.

Entering the library, Selphie, quickly glancing around the first room, espied nothing out of the ordinary - that one male upper-classman that was always looking on the same shelf for a book and that female student who was always looking for a good romance novel.

Selphie spotted the pony-tailed girl (she never could remember that girl's name!) standing behind the circulation desk using one of the two computers available to the library staff.

"Excuse me," Selphie said while checking the heel of each of her boots. "Have you seen Irvine?" Selphie realized almost every girl over the age of twelve in the Garden knew who Irvine was.

The pony-tailed girl glanced up from her computer and smiled sweetly. "Well, he was here earlier, but he left. I believe I heard him say something about going to the rec center."

"Okay, thanks," Selphie tossed over her shoulder leaving the library.

The rec center was located on the sub-floor. The sub-floor was located between the first floor and the basement and held such facilities, as the aforementioned recreational center, a coffee shop, a gym and swimming pool, the virtual reality training center, locker rooms, the weight room, and the laundry area and the baths.

Access is gained to the sub-floor from the inner hub around the first floor elevators. Selphie walked down the long black-stoned staircase, which led to the corridor to the rec center and coffee shop area. Upon arriving at her destination, she peered into the rec center seeing the usual room full of video games and the tables for table tennis and pool, bumper and straight. As her eyes adjusted to the over powering bright lighting, she finally espied Irvine playing the presently popular video game _ The Deling City Challenge. _ As per usual he was joking with a number of pretty upper-classmen women, who were clustered around him.

"Irvine, I want to talk to you right now!"

Irvine glanced up at the sound of his name and, perceiving the angry look on Selphie's face, his smile quickly faded. "Uh, oh girls. I'd better go talk to her." With that, Irvine sauntered over to Selphie and greeted "Hi, Selphie. How's it going?"

"Don't you _ how's it going, _ me. You, come with me!" Selphie clutched him by the arm and yanked him along to the coffee shop that was connected to one end of the rec center almost pulling him off his feet.

Selphie looked around the coffee shop that had pink walls, a green tiled floor, and a long counter at which a person could order beverages or a small meal. There were a great number of tables and chairs. When she discerned an empty table in the corner, she continued dragging Irvine over to it and flung him down in a chair with some force.

"Ow!" complained Irvine. "Take it easy, Sefie."

"Don't you _ Sefie _ me, Irvine! I'm mad. I want to know what you were doing walking around with Rinoa in the halls with her half naked!"

"I'm totally innocent. Ask Zell. We were just coming down the hall and Rinoa was locked out of Squall's room, so we volunteered to help her get back to the room. And that's all there was to it. To tell you the truth, I was kinda embarrassed to be seen with her."

"Why didn't you offer her your coat to wear?" Selphie suspiciously asked.

"I did," Irvine replied, "but she turned me down saying it would be too hot."

"Are you telling me the truth?" queried Selphie.

"I swear to Hyne!" Irvine said raising his right hand.

Selphie, at last, smiled and said, "Alright, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Sorry I was so rough." She proceeded to sit down beside him at the table.

* * *

Quistis was searching for her instructor friend, Melissa Jenkins. Outside of Doctor Kadowaki and Xu, Melissa was her closest friend in the Garden. They had been students together and then SeeDs and finally were made instructors at the same time. As she walked along the corridor peering into classrooms, her hand subconsciously would drop to her hip to check on her whip, which naturally wasn't there as she didn't wear her weapon ordinarily in the Garden, but some part of her missed the excitement of her past adventures.

The problem was Melissa's classroom had been relocated and Quistis didn't know which corridor it was now located on. When there are fifty classrooms to look in, this can become a problem.

All of the classrooms were on the second floor of the Garden. There were four elevators to the second floor, one on each side of the elevator shaft that led to a different corridor of classrooms. Quistis continued to walk along looking quietly into classrooms taking the entire classroom in a single glance automatically seeing, while not noticing, the students seated at their desks, each having a personal computer on it, the large windows in the back of each classroom and the blackboard in front with various subjects being taught, such as magic use, battle tactics, survival skills, care of a G.F., the Articles of the Garden _ Bible _ and advanced diplomacy training.

Quistis came to the last classroom on the left at the end of the third corridor she had investigated, before finding her friend's classroom. Glancing at her watch and realizing the class would let out in five minutes, she decided to just wait quietly in the hall.

As soon as the female and male upper-classmen began leaving the classroom and milling around the hall talking, Quistis stepped inside the room.

"Hi, Quisty," greeted Melissa stepping from around her desk in the front of the room and moving toward Quistis, who stood just inside the doorway. "I thought you'd be looking for me today."

"You did?" Quistis asked with some surprise. "I just decided to look for you a few minutes ago."

"Oh, is that when you found out?" asked Melissa.

"Found out what?" asked the baffled Quistis. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"Oh, aren't you the coy one? What'd they do - swear you to secrecy?" asked Melissa in a halfway mocking tone.

"I really don't have any idea what you're talking about, Melissa. I just came by to say hi, because I was feeling a little lonely and left out and thought it would be good to see you."

"You're telling the truth, aren't you?" Melissa asked.

"Of course I am."

"Well, come over here and sit down," Melissa stated, while pointing to some desks in the back of the room.

After both of them were seated, Melissa asked "You know one of my students works for Headmaster Cid?" Quistis nodded in affirmation. "Well, she was upstairs this morning before class, when they were having a meeting and she overheard them talking about a special mission to be done for Esthar in Deling City and you and Squall are going."

Quistis sat with a half smile on her face and thought, _ At last I can be contributing again. _

"Well," queried Melissa. "Aren't you gonna say anything?"

Quistis replied, "If it's this big a secret, I hope she didn't spread it around Garden."

"Come on. She just told _ me _ and she swore me to secrecy."

"Which you just failed!" Quistis replied.

"Quistis, you're my best friend. Of course I can trust you! I know why you're being so _ bitchy _ you don't want to tell me how you feel about this."

"Okay, Okay," Quistis owned. "I'm excited. Now give me the details."

Melissa proceeded to explain the scenario to Quistis and the two of them sat and talked and laughed and enjoyed each other's company for the next half an hour.

Finally Quistis stood up. "Thanks a lot, Melissa. I really needed this. I've been feeling so down lately. I guess I better go and see if I can find Squall so we can make our plans."

Melissa stood up and gave Quistis a hug. "Take care, Quisty."

Quistis assured her she would and walked out of the classroom and down the long corridor to the elevator.

* * *

Zell entered the library with one thing on his mind. He wanted to talk to his girlfriend and explain to her what had occurred in the morning with Rinoa, before she heard some kind of garbled rumor. He knew she wasn't scheduled to be on duty but also knew that, if she weren't in class, she would be here. She took her library duties very seriously.

Zell stepped to the area by the shelves in the front left corner under the picture of the Legendary SeeD, that for some reason could not be seen readily from the rest of the room. The Legendary SeeD was, according to Headmaster Cid, the first graduate of the Garden and a gunblade specialist, who had the best fighting skills of anyone Cid had ever seen. He disappeared mysteriously eleven years before while on assignment and had not been seen or heard from since.

And sure enough she was there. "Uh, Na-" Zell began.

"Zell! You startled me. Don't sneak up on me like that without saying anything," the pigtail girl exclaimed, whirling around so quickly she dropped some of the books she was attempting to shelve.

Zell and the pigtail girl both lowered their heads simultaneously to pick up the books. "Ow!" howled the pigtail girl, "Zell, watch what you're doing." She staggered back into the shelves holding her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Na-."

The pigtail girl interrupted, "What do you want? I'm trying to get finished here before the library closes."

"Well, uh," Zell stammered, while handing the books back to her. "I just wanted to talk for a moment and see how your day went."

"Well, that's sweet," she said, "but can't this wait for a few minutes?"

"I was just wondering," Zell continued, "if you had heard any strange or bizarre rumors floating around the Garden about me."

The pigtail girl turned with some puzzlement on her face. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, good," Zell sighed with relief. "I'll just wait over here for you to finish." With that said, Zell began to shadow box.

* * *

Quistis started down the corridor to the quad area. Someone said they thought they saw Squall moving down that way about an hour earlier. After reaching the end of the corridor, Quistis began stepping down the long, wide, doubled tiered staircase leading down to the quad area. The quad area had been completely renovated by the F.H. technicians. The stage now was much larger and curtains and a backstage area were added. There were rows of red, plush theatre seats added and a retractable partial roof that could protect theatergoers from inclement weather. A much higher wall had been added to the outside of the balcony, due to some fool falling off and almost dying there. This was done at Headmaster Cid's request to avoid this type of accident from ever occurring again.

Sure enough when Quistis reached the stage area, she espied Squall sitting in a theatre seat staring out into nothing.

"Looking for me?" Quistis asked facetiously.

Squall looked up from his deep reverie. "As a matter of fact, I was getting ready to go do that very thing, but I had no idea where you hang out these days."

"That's part of the problem," Quistis admitted. "When I'm not on assignment, I don't have anywhere to hang out. You're lucky. You have other duties."

Squall grimaced. "Be careful what you ask for, it just might come true."

"I hear you talking," Quistis responded.

After a moment of silence had passed, Squall stood up and walked over to Quistis. "I take it you've heard."

"Yeah, one of my informed sources told me."

Squall laughed. Quistis realized she was always taken by surprise when he laughed, because he never used to, but this had changed after Squall finally admitted his feelings for Rinoa. There was still a little part of Quistis that was sorry she couldn't have been the one to help Squall learn to laugh.

Squall said, patting the back of one of the theatre seats, "Sit down and we'll make our plans."

* * *

Rinoa stood slumped with her back leaning against the door, feeling as though her legs wouldn't hold her up if she attempted to move. "Oh, no" she sobbed. "That was so awful. It was bad enough Cid and Xu saw me, but to have Squall there. He must be so embarrassed. What will I ever say to him?"

Rinoa threw herself across her bed, her entire body still quivering with adrenaline, unable to stop sobbing. After ten minutes or so of the most intense sobbing she had ever experienced, her tears began to subside and she began to feel some relief from her emotions.

Rinoa sat up on her bed and began to dry off with a towel that was lying across a chair. She began to replay the entire scene in her head in a more calm fashion and began to see the humor inherent in the situation. Rinoa began to inexplicably giggle. And then the intercom came on.

* * *

The bridge was on the floor above Cid's office. Quite naturally being at the very top of the Garden, it was a very small area allowing room for the pilot and two or three others. Nida stood at the controls looking out of the huge circular window that allowed him complete visibility. It was dusk and the sunset was beautiful. They were headed out over the waters around Timber in the direction of Balamb. Cid and Xu were standing in back of Nida. There was no room for a desk or even chairs.

Nida turned his head and grinned at them.

Xu queried, "What are you looking so pleased about, Nida?"

He whirled around so fast he almost lost his balance and, as he reached out to steady himself, he unknowingly turned on the intercom button. He had been dying to tell someone about this all day.

"When I came out of my room this morning," he began, "I was almost immediately run down by Zell dragging Rinoa along the hall and." Nida paused for dramatic effect. "I didn't get the best look, but I swear she was only wearing underwear! And Irvine was walking behind her and laughing. I don't have any idea what was going on, but I couldn't understand why Irvine didn't lend her his coat, because she appeared very embarrassed and I still don't know what Irvine found so amusing. It looked to me, as if Rinoa was being made to do something against her will."

"Now, now," Cid offered, "I'm sure that's not the case. We saw Rinoa this afternoon and she appeared fine."

"Oh, yeah," snuffled Xu, "We saw all of Rinoa this afternoon, alright." And she proceeded to tell Nida the entire story. As she spoke, Nida's face became flushed and his knees began to tremble.

"Now, now," said Cid again. "It was just an unfortunate accident and we really shouldn't be gossiping about it."

"Come on, Cid," laughed Xu. "It's just us chickens here. You can tell us. You really actually enjoyed the show."

Cid admitted, "Just don't let Edea find out." With peals of laughter resonating on the bridge, Nida turned back to the controls and noticed the intercom light was blinking. "Oh, no!" he shouted. "The intercom is on!" 


	2. Once Again Chapter Two

Once Again

By RobertDogwood@aol.com

Chapter 2

_ Squall to the Rescue_

Deling City Bound

Cid Gets Flashed

The New Student

Quistis Sneaks a Peek

Rinoa Takes a Dip 

All activity in the rec center and coffee shop had ceased, when the intercom came on, because there were often important messages relayed and students and SeeDs alike needed to be able to respond immediately to whatever the emergency might be. When they had initially heard it was just an ordinary conversation they began to resume their former activities, but then when they heard what the conversation concerned they froze again. No one made a sound, except for some heavy breathing.

After the intercom clicked off, Selphie stood up and, towering over the seated Irvine, declared, "So Rinoa said she didn't want to wear your coat, huh?! You said you were embarrassed, but actually you were laughing and playing around with Rinoa. You lied to me! What were you all planning to do? Pull her down to your room?"

Irvine attempted to stand up. "But, Selphie."

Selphie pushed him back in the chair.

"Don't bother. I'm leaving." And, with that, she strode quickly out of the coffee shop and back down the corridor leading to the staircase that would take her to the first floor. She was going to talk to Rinoa about this right now!

* * *

In the library the pigtail girl turned to Zell, who had paused his shadow boxing, and asked, "Zell, what was that all about?"

Zell turned bright red and began to stammer, "N-Now Na-."

The pigtail girl interrupted asking, "Is that why you came down here? To see if I had heard about this?"

Zell continued to stammer, "Uh, d-don't get upset-."

The pigtail girl again interrupted the stammering Zell. "Don't get upset! Are you serious? You were seen dragging a naked Rinoa down the hall to your room to do Hyne knows whatever to and you tell me not to get upset!"

"She wasn't naked, she had underwear on and we were going to her room," Zell explained.

"Oh, I stand corrected," retorted the pigtail girl turning away and flouncing out of the library. "Oh, by the way," she declared over her shoulder, "I noticed you didn't explain what you were going to do to her!" and left Zell standing red-faced and stammering.

* * *

In her room, Rinoa burst into a new round of sobbing and collapsed in a chair and lowered her head on a desk. Her prediction of the morning had come true with a vengeance, she realized. Nida _ had _ told everyone in the Garden.

* * *

Quistis and Squall had been sitting in the quad area and discussing their mission when the intercom came on. As the message from the bridge continued, Squall sat silently stone-faced while Quistis placed her right-gloved hand up to her mouth to cover her laughter.

When the intercom clicked off, Quistis and Squall sat silently each privy to their own thoughts regarding what they had just heard. Finally Squall stood up and said resignedly, "I guess I better talk to Rinoa. I'll see you tomorrow, early." And not waiting for a reply, he wandered dejectedly up the staircase.

As events often seem to work out if left to their own devices, Selphie, the pigtail girl and Squall converged at the door to Selphie and Rinoa's room simultaneously.

Selphie, noticing Squall's serious demeanor, asked, "I suppose you want to see Rinoa?" Squall silently nodded.

"Maybe we'd better knock first." Selphie knocked gently on the door saying, "Rinoa. It's Selphie, is it alright to come in?"

There was no answer. Selphie tried again, a little louder. "Rinoa, is it alright to come in?"

Suddenly Selphie became concerned about Rinoa's possible mental and emotional state. "I'd better open the door with my key." So saying, she took out her key and opened the door just as Rinoa stood up and began moving toward the door still completely nude. Selphie came to a complete stop. The pigtail girl turned bright red and fled down the corridor in horror and Squall stepped inside the room. Selphie suggested, "I think I'll leave you two alone," and quickly exited the room. Squall gently closed the door.

Rinoa rushed at Squall and threw herself into his reluctant arms sobbing. "Oh, Squall. I'm so sorry." Squall realized finally just how upset Rinoa really was when she continued to be racked with great gales of sobbing for a number of minutes. Squall began to gently stroke the back of her hair with his hand, whispering, "It'll be okay, no damage was done, nobody died, no da."

Rinoa finally stopped weeping and stepped back from Squall's arms. Her face was flushed and swollen from crying. "Thank you, Squall," she said. "That's the first nice thing that's happened to me today."

Squall looked away from Rinoa's nakedness and requested, "Would you mind putting something on? We need to talk seriously and you're very distracting."

Squall went over and sat on the edge of Selphie's bed, clasped his hands together by intertwining his fingers and stared silently at the floor. A great lump of fear and anxiety arose in Rinoa's throat. Had her behavior today ruptured their relationship? Rinoa thought wildly as she hurried to the closet and pulled out a robe and slipped it on.

Rinoa crossed over to Squall, knelt and opened his hands and held them in her's and asked, "What is it, Squall? Is it bad news?"

Squall looked up. "Well, no. It's not as far as I'm concerned, but I don't know how you're gonna take it." This statement certainly didn't decrease Rinoa's anxiety at all.

Squall, noticing Rinoa's terror strickened face, slightly grinned and explained, "No, it's not what you're thinking. It has nothing to do with us."

Rinoa hadn't realized she had been holding her breath while he spoke until then. Her breath came out in a rush. _ Oh thank Hyne, _ she thought.

"Then what is it, Squall?"

Squall reached down and pulled Rinoa up on her feet and helped her sit on the bed next to him. "I've been assigned to go to Deling City with Quistis and discover some information for Laguna."

Rinoa's heart sank. She didn't want to live without being by Squall's side everyday. "But Deling City," she said, "that'll be dangerous."

Squall grinned slightly. "Well, I guess I've been through that before and I've always come out okay."

Rinoa stood up and stamped her foot in frustration. "I'm not joking, Squall! You know they'll be looking for you. What are you thinking about?"

Squall's face and tone became serious. "Rinoa, I've been assigned by the Garden to complete this mission."

Rinoa angrily stamped her foot again. "Who are you trying to kid? You were _ assigned _ by the Garden? You're the Garden! You could tell anyone to go!"

Squall stood up finally fully aroused. "I am a SeeD," he said a trifle loudly. "It is my duty to go. I don't send people out on missions that I should handle myself. You have always known that, Rinoa. It's too late in the game to be pulling this now."

Rinoa crossed the room and sat on her bed. "Then I'll go with you," she suggested. "I can be a big help to you in Deling City."

"Now who's kidding who?" Squall asked. "You know you're a dangerous commodity in Deling City being General Caraway's daughter. You could end up being kidnapped or worse. Besides," Squall went on, his words sending little arrows into Rinoa's heart, "You're not even a SeeD."

Rinoa sat on the edge of her bed, her mind reeling around the fact Squall wouldn't be here for Shiva knows how long and also he'd be with Quistis. Rinoa had always had a sneaking suspicion Quistis wasn't as over Squall as she pretended to be.

Rinoa looked up and attempted to put a smile on her face. "Well," she said, "I guess you're going. I'll miss you badly everyday you're gone, but at least we have tonight together."

Squall shook his head gently. "No, I have to get ready to go. We're going to be leaving very early tomorrow."

Rinoa's eyes began to tear up, but she forcibly willed her expression not to change. She realized this was a dangerous time for them and she could end up pushing him away from her completely if she didn't let go. "Well," she said remembering the first time she had said this to him on the Ragnarok, "Give me a hug."

Squall crossed the room, knelt down and gave her a perfunctory hug. He stood up, kissed her cheek and said, "Catch you later." Squall turned and left the room. "Good luck," Rinoa whispered.

* * *

Squall hadn't been lying to Rinoa. They did leave early in the morning. At 5 o'clock a.m., before anyone else was up except for the midnight shift, Squall and Quistis entered the parking garage and secured a Garden truck. They drove out into the predawn darkness and down to Balamb. Somebody would be sent later in the day to retrieve the vehicle. After reaching Balamb, Squall and Quistis padded down the dark, deserted streets to the hotel and went in and had breakfast, because the Garden cafeteria had not yet opened. By 6 o'clock a.m. they had boarded the train to Timber where they would transfer to a train that would take them to Deling City.

* * *

Rinoa awoke in her bed and felt good. She stretched luxuriously under her sheets, smiled and sat up in bed, the sheets tumbling from her upper body. And then her entire world crashed, as she remembered she wouldn't be seeing Squall today. She probably wouldn't be seeing Squall for a long time or maybe never again!

Rinoa shook her head no! That would never happen! _ But the worst, _ she thought, _ was when Squall said to me, 'You can't go. You're not even a SeeD.' _ Rinoa sat and remembered the sharp pain this caused her, when he uttered those words with such finality.

Rinoa spoke aloud, "Well, that's going to change starting today!"

She tossed off her sheets, stood up and crossed the room pulling open her closet. Rinoa had a campaign in mind and it involved Headmaster Cid.

* * *

Rinoa waited near the first floor elevator for Xu to come down to do inspection after the morning staff meeting. Rinoa was slightly uncomfortable with some of the strange looks she had been receiving from SeeDs and upper-classmen, although she wasn't quite sure if it was because of the way she was dressed or what they heard over the intercom the day before.

Rinoa had decided on a full _ frontal _ manipulative attack on Cid to allow her to attend classes. She had shampooed and brushed her lovely hair until it shone, applied her makeup and a liberal dose of her favorite perfume. She then put on her high heels and slipped her slinky, short, yellow dress over her nude body. This was the same dress she wore when she manipulated Cid to send SeeDs to assist the Forest Owls.

The elevator door opened and Xu stepped down the stairs. Rinoa turned away, not having the courage to speak to Xu after yesterday and to have to watch the expression on Xu's face. Rinoa waited until Xu cleared the stairs and turned left and then she quickly strutted up the stairs and entered the elevator.

Rinoa departed the elevator on the third floor and immediately bypassed Cid's student receptionist-secretary and instead went and stood in front of his desk. Cid appeared to be busy shuffling papers, something he spent a great deal of time doing.

"Good Morning, Cid," Rinoa called out brightly.

Cid looked up, totally disorientated for a second, perceived who it was and blushed slightly and then recovered nicely and answered, "Good Morning, Rinoa. How are you today?"

"I'm wonderful!" Rinoa lied, glancing around for a chair.

Cid purposely didn't have any chairs for visitors, because he wanted to discourage uninvited students or SeeDs from visiting him without an appointment and he found keeping them physically uncomfortable helped minimize this.

Rinoa was still searching for somewhere to sit, when Cid asked, "What can I do for you today?"

The student, who worked for Cid, understood the entire situation in a glance and felt sorry for Rinoa, particularly after the day before and picked up her chair and carried it over to Rinoa.

She said, "Headmaster Cid? I have to go to class now."

Cid glanced away from Rinoa. "Uh, okay, Thanks a lot, Catherine," he replied.

"It's Pamela, sir," the girl said.

"Oh, sorry," Cid apologized. "Of course it is."

Pamela turned to Rinoa and asked, "Would you like to sit down, Rinoa?"

Rinoa gratefully sank down quickly in the chair and offered the girl her best smile in return.

As the student was leaving the office, Cid turned to Rinoa and again asked, "What can I do for you today?"

Rinoa sat back on the chair, crossed her legs, smiled at Cid and then crossed her legs again. "I would like to become a SeeD" she explained.

Cid was visibly taken aback by her request. "W-Well, now Rinoa" he began to stammer. "As you know SeeDs are raised from a very young age. Uh, that's why we call them SeeDs, ha! ha!" Cid reached up and wiped some sweat off his brow.

Rinoa crossed her legs slowly and a little more wider than previously offering Cid a momentary glimpse of black pubic hair.

Rinoa declared calmly, "But Cid, you already know that I can fight and I ran my own resistance group."

When she perceived Cid was going to offer a rebuttal, Rinoa slowly crossed her legs the widest of all offering Cid a complete view and causing her dress to ride up dangerously high on her thighs.

Perspiration was freely flowing from Cid's face as he spoke, "I see your point. I think it can be arranged for you to start classes today as an upper-classman."

Rinoa sat back smiling sweetly at him. She thought to herself, _ That bit gets him every time. _

* * *

Zell, Selphie and the pigtail girl were sitting around a cafeteria table, where they had just finished eating their breakfast. Zell's girlfriend felt anxious, because she had to report for her shift in the library momentarily.

Selphie leaned forward and spoke to the pigtail girl. "I'm sorry. I never can remember your name."

"What?!" sputtered Zell indignantly. "Her name is Na-."

"Hey everybody!" Zell was interrupted by Irvine sauntering up to the table beside an extremely attractive redheaded, fifteen-year-old female upper-classman. Selphie felt an instant partiality toward her, because she looked so cute in her uniform that included the extremely short skirt Cid preferred all the girls to wear and because her initial introduction to Garden by Irvine, of all people, caused Selphie to feel sympathetic towards her.

Selphie stood up and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Selphie. Glad to meet you."

The younger girl took Selphie's hand and shook it. "Pleased to meet you," she said.

"And you are?" Selphie asked.

Irvine attempted to explain, "This is-."

"Let her talk!" snapped Selphie.

The new student, a little shocked by the vehemence in Selphie's voice, replied, "I'm Akane."

Irvine continued. "She's from-."

Selphie exploded. "Irvine! Let her talk for herself! And sit down!"

Irvine dropped like a rock into a chair. Akane began to sit next to him until Selphie indicated she should sit next to her.

Selphie spoke to Akane, "You need to do yourself a favor and stay away from him," and pointedly stared at Irvine until he glanced away.

The pigtail girl stood up and said, "Well, I have to run. I'm already late for my shift at the library. Goodbye, everybody."

Zell began to speak. "Take care, Na-."

Selphie interrupted. "So where are you from, Akane?"

Akane shifted self consciously in her chair to be thrust among so many strangers, but felt a little better when she realized that they were giving her their undivided attention and most were smiling at her.

"I'm from East Academy," she explained.

The town of East Academy lay halfway between the towns of Timber and Dollet. It was located in the Vaulny Canyon near the Roshfall forest. The town grew around the East Academy University. The University was approximately one hundred years old and was a well-respected insitution of higher learning. East Academy was considered to be neutral in the war between Galbadia and Esthar, although Galbadia was currently the ruling authority.

"Now that's interesting," commented Selphie. "I don't think we've ever had anyone here from East Academy."

Zell leaned far forward and accused in a loud voice. "How come you wanted to come here when you could have gone to the University instead?"

Akane flushed a little at Zell's tone and began to stutter, although before she could speak Selphie stood up, reached across the table and pushed Zell back in his seat. "Zell, calm down. You're scaring her."

Selphie reseated herself and turned to Akane. "That's just Zell. He's always like that. He doesn't mean anything by it. He's just very excitable. Now what were you going to say?"

Akane, feeling a little more reassured, offered Selphie a timid but sweet smile. "I've always wanted to be a SeeD ever since I was a little girl. I _ was _ attending the University, but a professor of mine pulled some strings and got me in here."

"Well, we're glad you're here," Selphie said. Irvine loudly exclaimed, Here, here!" until Selphie pointedly stared him down again.

Selphie asked, "Why don't we meet after your classes and go down to the baths and have a good soak?"

"Okay," Akane readily agreed. "It sounds like fun."

Everyone stood up from the table preparing to go their separate ways, when Rinoa walked in wearing an upper-classman female uniform with the shortest skirt any of them had ever seen. "Hi everyone!" Rinoa exclaimed. "Guess what?" she asked. "I'm going to be a SeeD!"

"Oh Great Hyne!" retorted Selphie. "Since when?"

"Since this morning," Rinoa explained, "Cid is allowing me to attend classes. Isn't he sweet? And he even handpicked this uniform for me."

* * *

Xu walked into Doctor Kadowski's office and said, "Hi, you busy?" The doctor looked up from the files she was writing in and smiled when she saw it was Xu.

"Not particularly, just some catch-up work. What's up?" the doctor asked, noticing the tightness that was not normally on Xu's face.

"Oh, I don't know," sighed Xu while pulling over the patient stool to sit on in front of the doctor's desk. "I guess I'm a little worried with both Squall and Quistis gone at the same time. You know, I think the world of Cid but he lives in his own little world of papers and billing. I guess I'm just not used to being the person in complete charge."

The doctor nodded in an understanding of what Xu was saying. "If you think back, Xu, when the Galbadian Garden was attacking our Garden, Quistis, Squall and you were all here, but Squall was so new in his leadership role that someone had to step up and take charge and I did it. I'd never done anything like that before, but it had to be done if we were to avoid being overrun by them."

Xu nodded in a sudden understanding and respect for the doctor.

"Now you are a lovely, wonderful and capable young woman who can certainly handle the same responsibilities and duties that this tired old doctor did once again upon a time," explained Dr. Kadowaki.

Xu gave a little laugh and nodded her head.

"What are our immediate plans?" asked the doctor.

"Well, that's my main problem right now," Xu confessed. "I don't have any idea as to what our next agenda should be."

The doctor suggested, "Why don't we take a ride up to Trabia and see how they're coming along with rebuilding their Garden?"

"That's a good idea," Xu agreed, while standing up. "I'll run it by Cid and if he's okay with it, maybe we'll head up there in a week or so. Thanks, doc, you're the best," Xu said while bending down and giving the doctor a kiss on her cheek.

* * *

The Balamb train pulled into Timber two hours after leaving Balamb. Squall and Quistis had spent the time sitting and quietly talking about a variety of subjects, but not one minute of it was taken up with talking about their present mission. Both of them were too veteran to over analyze their plans.

Timber was located on the Lanker Plains near Lake Obel off Timber Beach. The town of Timber had been literally carved out of a vast acreage of forestland nearly a hundred years previously. Most of the forest was now gone, leaving Timber economically depressed.

The Balamb train pulled into the station close to the center of town. Squall and Quistis disembarked from the train and walked down the steps into Timber; with Squall remembering back to the first time he had done so and the silly password he had given Watts.

Squall turned to Quistis and asked, "What say we grab a bite? We don't know how long it'll be after we get to Deling City that we'll be able to eat again."

Quistis readily agreed and as they walked along the street to the _ Hamptons, _ the best restaurant in town, Squall realized after all there was a certain charm to the town. As they were walking past the weapon shop and hotel, Squall recognized a young SeeD who was apparently sent on the Timber mission walking on the other side of the street. The SeeD's initial reaction was to speak to Squall, but Squall quietly shook his head. The SeeD walked on.

After Squall and Quistis were seated in the restaurant and their food was brought to the table, Quistis leaned forward and asked, "Wasn't that Kasumi?"

Squall nodded and quietly filled Quistis in. After Squall was finished, Quistis said, "Whew, we'll just have to keep our eyes open and not allow them to blow their covers or ours."

Squall nodded silently in agreement. After they were done eating and had paid the hefty bill, tip included they started back towards the other end of Timber. One of the first things Squall had instituted when he took over the Garden was having an expense account for SeeDs, who were out on assignments. They no longer had to pay for everything out of their salary.

The train to Deling City had to be boarded in the area in front of the Timber Pet Shop. They walked up the steps to the boarding area. Squall paid the conductor and they boarded the train, and then walked down the narrow hallway until they found and entered their private compartment. The train pulled out of the station soon after.

"Well," Squall said, while looking at Quistis. "I guess we should change."

Quistis flushed slightly. "Have you given any thought as to how we're going to do this? The bathroom on this train is far too open and public. We couldn't change back at the restaurant, because it would have appeared way too obvious to go in as one person and come out as another and one of us standing out in the hallway on this train, while the other one changes could prove disastrous depending on who came down the hall during that time. There are many Galbadian military and government people on this train."

Squall answered, "As a matter of fact, I have. We'll have to change together in here."

"In your dreams!" Quistis laughed.

"No, I'm serious," Squall replied. "We'll change back to back."

Squall turned his back to Quistis, knelt down and began to pull out clothes from his small carry-on valise, figuring he should be the one to get the ball rolling. Quistis, observing what he was doing, quickly turned her back to him and began doing the same.

Squall, hoping to cut the tension, joked, "Now don't be peeking."

"Yeah, right," Quistis retorted. "It would be more likely the other way around."

Squall replied in a serious tone, "You might be right."

When Quistis started pulling the front zipper of her orange top down, after already detaching her long sleeves and pulling off her gloves, she began to get a twinge of regret. Actually she wouldn't mind sneaking a peek. Why should Rinoa get all the fun? Quistis attempted to turn her head just slightly enough, while she was removing her top and then unbuckling the belt of her long skirt, to use her peripheral vision to catch a glimpse behind her. As she attempted this, she could suddenly distinguish enough of Squall to perceive he had already removed all his clothing and was standing facing her stark naked! Quistis snapped her head back, accidentally letting her skirt drop to the floor with a loud thud of her belt buckle. _ This is wrong! _ she thought, _ I shouldn't be doing this! _

Squall asked, "What in the hell is going on back there?"

Quistis realized, with a pang of sexual longing, that Squall's naked physique was even better looking than she had imagined and his flaccid penis had appeared enormous.

"Oh, nothing," Quistis replied in a husky voice.

The rest of the undressing and dressing was uneventful, but when both of them turned around they were staring at different people. Squall had long blonde hair in a pageboy style cut and was wearing a white T-shirt and low cut jeans with a good inch or more of his striped boxer shorts showing.

Quistis broke into laughter at Squall's appearance and then quickly covered her mouth with her right hand.

"What are you laughing at?" Squall asked irritably. "You should see yourself."

Squall had a point. Quistis was wearing a red spiky wig and a schoolgirl uniform, which consisted of a white blouse with a blue collar, low cut enough so a little bit of her lacy white bra was visible and a extremely short, blue check skirt with a little midriff showing and a belt that also held a gray purse by her side. The entire disguise was topped off by her new square framed glasses.

Quistis glanced at the image of herself reflected from a mirror that hung on the compartment wall. "What do you mean?" she asked innocently. "I think I look great!"

Squall declared, "Well, at least it doesn't look like you. Where are you going to keep your weapon?"

Quistis picked up her backpack, opened it and pulled out her _ Save the Queen. _ "I'll be in real trouble though, if I have to open this for anyone. I'll have to be ready to use it."

"What's that?" Quistis pointed at a guitar case lying on the floor behind Squall.

Squall knelt down by the case, flipped the catch and opened the lid. "Watch this," Squall said as he lifted the guitar up and placed it on the floor. Then he lifted up a false bottom and pulled out _ Lion Heart. _

"Pretty sneaky," Quistis complimented. Squall nodded in agreement. "It was Xu's idea."

* * *

Rinoa thought her first day of classes went as well as could be expected, though she admitted to herself she had some difficulty in concentrating fully at all times on the instructor, as she was out of practice with this and also because she kept finding herself wondering how Squall was doing.

Rinoa was planning on meeting Selphie and Akane for a good hot soak in the baths but, as she was unable to locate Selphie, she decided to go on down to the sub-floor and wait for them in the baths. Rinoa headed down the long staircase that led to the sub-floor corridor leading to the bath area.

When Rinoa reached the end of the corridor, she headed left to the bath area; right would have taken her to the laundry area. A wooden wall separated the men and women's sauna baths. There was a strict Garden policy prohibiting men and women sharing the same bath together; in fact, they were not even supposed to be on the floor at the same time. There were very rigid guidelines regarding the times of the week the different sexes were allowed in the bath area.

Rinoa entered the small dressing area on the women's side of the baths. Rinoa quickly removed her clothing, taking care to hang up her new uniform and placing her underwear on a bench and took down a huge towel from a stack of towels provided by the Garden and proceeded into the bath area. She laid her towel carefully by the side of the bath and eased herself down into the bath.

_ Ah _ she thought, _ Now that's more like it. _ Rinoa sat there for a few moments with her head resting on the back wall of the bath with her eyes closed basically thinking about nothing, when she heard a sudden noise. She opened her eyes expecting to see Selphie and Akane, but instead observed Seifer, Raijin and Fujin looming over her standing at the edge of the bath!

"Seifer!" Rinoa squealed, "What are you doing here?" while instinctively attempting to cover herself, even though she realized they would be hard pressed to see any part of her body through the steamy water.

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" Seifer asked sarcastically. "You're looking good, Rinoa but I can't really see you. Rage, pick her up!"

Before Rinoa could react, Raijin reached down with one huge arm and pulled Rinoa completely out of the bath exposing the entirety of her nude body from tip to toe!

Fujin shouted, "PERVERT!" and kicked Raijin hard in the shin causing him to drop Rinoa back into the bath with a large splash of water that covered the three of them with spray.

"OW!" yelled Raijin.

"Seifer, you'd better get out of here," Rinoa warned excitedly. "This isn't the right time of day for men to be in the baths and, besides, you are never to be on the women's side!"

"Oooh" responded Seifer. "Are you going to sic the disciplinary committee on me? We don't live here anymore, in case you haven't noticed."

Selphie and Akane entered the bath area, wrapped in large towels. "Seifer! What are you doing here?!" Selphie demanded in a loud voice.

Seifer turned his attention to Selphie and Akane. "Well, if it isn't the little messenger girl and who's this little cutie here?" Seifer leaned forward and chucked Akane lightly on the chin. Akane shrank away from him as quickly as possible. "You know," he went on thoughtfully, "I think I've seen you somewhere before."

"SEIFER!" screamed Selphie.

Seifer turned his attention back to Selphie. "If you must know, like it's any of your business, we have an appointment with Cid and we're on our way to talk to him right now."

"Then go!" Selphie demanded.

Seifer turned to Raijin and Fujin and said, "Let's go guys. I can tell when we're not wanted."

After they left, Selphie asked, "What the hell do you suppose that was all about?"

Rinoa just shook her head. "I don't have the slightest idea." 


	3. Once Again Chapter Three

One Again

Chapter Three

_Cid's Surprise_

Squall Takes a Chance and Breaks the Code

Rinoa Makes a New Friend 

The rest of Squall and Quistis's ride to Deling City was uneventful, as they sat quietly preparing themselves for the roles they would have to play upon their arrival. When they disembarked from the train at the Deling City Train Station, the conductor did a double take when they walked by and wondered thoughtfully, _ That's strange. I don't remember when those young students got on. _

The train to Deling City, as it approaches the suburbs, travels underground via a tunnel and literally arrives under the city. Squall and Quistis disembarked from the train and rode the escalator up. They came out at the top of a wide staircase over looking the city. Squall never got over what a breathtaking scene it was when first arriving. Squall and Quistis stepped lively down the staircase and strolled past some Galbadian soldiers at one of the city's main entrances.

"What now?" whispered Quistis.

Squall answered in a low tone. "Let's just head downtown and see what we can pick up. Keep your eyes and ears open."

Quistis nodded her assent.

They turned right and headed into the downtown area. There were many people on the streets and Squall and Quistis stayed in the middle of crowds as much as possible. That night they stayed at a youth hostel. It was the safest place Squall could think of; at least it was on ground level and had front and back doors.

Just before Quistis drifted off to sleep, she murmured, "Let's hope that tomorrow is more productive."

"A-men to that," replied Squall.

* * *

At morning staff meeting the next day, Xu sat with Cid and his student secretary, who took notes from the meeting to be published and posted, if it involved any new rule changes or additions or any other information that might need to be brought to the attention of students and/or SeeDs.

Xu suggested, "I've been thinking, Cid. After a week or so why don't we ride up to Trabia and see how they're coming along with rebuilding their Garden? Maybe we can lend a hand."

Cid glanced up and replied, "That's a very good idea, Xu. You handle the logistics."

Xu thought to herself, _ That was certainly easy enough. Why do I allow myself to become so worked up about this stuff? _

Xu explained, "That's the last thing on the agenda," and began to stand up.

"Please wait a minute, Xu," directed Cid. Xu reseated herself.

Cid appeared a little flushed and wiped some sweat off his brow, causing Xu to wonder what was coming next. She thought, _ If it's about Rinoa attending classes, I'm going to cut him some slack. In fact, I think it's a good idea. It'll keep her out of trouble. _

Xu waited patiently for Cid to begin to get to the point.

Cid finally said, "There's no easy way to go about this, so I'm going to be direct."

Xu thought, _ Please do. _

Cid went on, "I've decided to readmit Seifer, Raijin and Fujin."

"What?!" Xu exclaimed in a loud agitated voice and halfway standing, while slamming both of her hands down on the table.

"Now Xu," Cid declared, "I think we're, at least, partially responsible for the mess Seifer caused after we refused to make him a SeeD. After all, he initially went to Timber to help us out."

Xu sat back down, but her tone hardened. "I respectfully disagree. He brought it all on himself by bad judgment."

Cid replied, "We could argue this all day, but I've already made my decision. I think he could end up being a big help to us."

Xu seethed inside, but held her temper and her tongue.

Cid took advantage of Xu's acquiescence and, began to stand up, saying, "Is there anything else?"

"Uh, Headmaster Cid?" the student secretary said.

Cid glanced at her and sat back down. "Yes, Catherine?"

The student secretary responded "I'm Pamela, sir."

"Of course you are," Cid replied.

Pamela asked, "Have you been in my desk, sir or do you know anybody that's been in my desk?"

"No Cath-, I mean Pamela. I haven't been in your desk and no one else has been here. Why do you ask?"

Pamela replied, "Somebody's definitely been in my desk. Everything has been moved all around."

Cid muttered impatiently, "I'm sure you're mistaken, dear. Okay, that's it. Meeting is adjourned."

* * *

Xu pulled up the stool and sat down in front of the doctor's desk. Dr. Kadowaki glanced up from her paperwork.

"You appear to be very upset, Xu."

"Yes, I'm upset!" Xu angrily exploded. "Do you know what Cid's done now?!"

The doctor replied, "Yes, I believe I heard some rumblings about it. You're upset because Cid has allowed Seifer to return to the Garden."

"You're damned right, I am," Xu cursed.

This alone let the doctor know how upset Xu was. Xu seldom cursed.

Xu went on, "I just don't know what Cid is thinking about."

The doctor explained, "He's thinking about giving a person another chance."

Xu exploded again. "Another chance! That man has run out of chances!"

"Xu," the doctor replied, "In the first place that _ man _ isn't a man."

Xu looked up in total confusion. The doctor spoke on. "He is a _ young man _ and young men can change. Seifer is also a very strong young man, emotionally and physically, and I feel that Cid's thinking is, that not only should a person not be allowed to run out of chances but, also that Seifer, if he did change, could probably be a real asset to the Garden."

Xu muttered, "Ah, that damn Cid. He's always forgiving somebody."

"That's true," the doctor agreed quietly. "He even forgave his wife when she sent missles to kill him."

Xu sat in a stunned silence for a minute or two that felt as though it were hours to her. Xu finally managed to grin slightly. "Okay, doc. I get your point."

"My suggestion to you is that you give Seifer an honest chance. Let your history with him be just that - _ history. _ If you can, sit down with him and be honest and see if he'll meet you halfway. If he perceives you're trying, he might be willing to drop his defenses some."

"Okay, doctor," Xu agreed, "I'm willing to try that, but if it blows up in my face I'm coming back and cursing you out."

Doctor Kadowaki laughed. "And another thing, Xu, don't attempt it when he's around Raijin and Fujin. He seems to draw negative energy from them."

"No da," Xu said and they both laughed. "But seriously," Xu went on, "that's another good idea. I need to assign them different duties to breakup that threesome."

"But anyway, Cid did give his permission that we could travel to Trabia, so we should be doing that within a week or two," Xu reported.

"That's good. I think we could all benefit from a change of scenery."

"For sure!" Xu laughed.

* * *

Squall and Quistis awoke early and had a quick breakfast at the youth hostel, before hitting the streets of Deling City once again to gather information about the new Galbadian President. By mid-afternoon, they had learned absolutely nothing.

Squall said, "This is getting us nowhere."

"Then where do we go from here?" Quistis asked.

Squall responded, "I have an idea, but you're going to think it's crazy."

"Well, what is it?" she asked.

Squall replied, "Sneak into General Caraway's mansion through the sewers."

"Oh, that is crazy," Quistis laughed. "What makes you think it's still open?"

Squall stated, "I know it's still open. The only people who know about it are us and General Caraway himself. He would never close that off. It's his only escape route, if things ever get bad enough."

"Okay, I'm game," Quistis agreed. "Which way?"

Squall knew Deling City better than some people who had lived there all their lives. "This way." He pointed and they started moving down the street.

Squall and Quistis walked along briskly retracing their steps from the previous day, until they walked past the staircase leading to the train depot. They crossed the street, as soon as possible, to avoid passing the soldiers and then went up the next street coming out, ironically enough, in front of General Caraway's mansion.

"Too bad we can't go in the front door," commented Quistis.

"Yeah, too bad," smirked Squall. They took a path to the right that led through a city park. There were couples on the lawn down by the lake that looked as though they were enjoying the late afternoon. At the end of the path, Squall motioned right and they walked along a major four-lane boulevard. There was plenty of bus traffic in Deling City, but not many cars, due to the gasoline shortage because of the war effort.

Reaching the end of the boulevard, Quistis recognized the door that led to the city sewers causing her suddenly to remember that fateful night that she, Selphie and Zell participated in the would be assassination of Sorceress Edea. _ Thank Hyne _ she thought, _ Irvine had missed that shot. We would have killed Cid's wife! _

Squall gently squeezed her arm saying, "Come on, Quisty," and opened the outside door for her. Quistis realized she had been daydreaming and mentally kicked herself. She needed to stay sharp or they were going to get captured or worse.

Walking into the small entry room, Squall mounted the ladder and started climbing down. Squall always went first as the point man to protect the other members in his party, as much as possible from surprise attack. When they jumped off the ladder, they were now in the Deling City sewer system. The sewer system was a very convoluted, maze like collection of different hallways and ladders that often as not ended with a wall. Again, like Deling City itself, Squall knew the most expedient route to take to travel through it as efficiently as possible. As they ran down hallways and across fallen ladders, Quistis again slipped back in her mind to that fateful night when she chose to deviate from her orders and returned to General Caraway's mansion to look for Rinoa. _ Funny, _ she thought. She had never really regretted doing that; maybe because everything had worked out well in the end or maybe because, at least, her heart had been in the right place.

"Quistis!" Squall shouted bringing her back to the present. They were being attacked by three Creeps! Before she could step forward and snap _ Save the Queen, _ one of the Creeps slashed her viciously on her bare legs. Quistis bit her lip hard to keep from crying out in pain and stepped forward and killed one of the Creeps. Squall leaped out with _ Lion Heart _ and ** BANG! ** - finished one Creeps while throwing a cure on Quistis's legs, who was busy finishing the last Creeps.

"That's why I like to wear long skirts," Quistis complained while bending down to check her legs.

Quistis glanced embarrassedly at Squall. "Sorry, I was day dreaming again."

Squall turned to her and smiled. "I know and I know what about. It's only natural that you would think back to that night."

Quistis realized with a jolt how beautiful Squall looked when he smiled. _ Beautiful! _ she thought giving herself another mental kick. _ I've got to get serious here or we could end up dead. Besides for the umpteenth time he belongs to Rinoa now. _

Squall watched with some puzzlement the conflict of emotions that appeared to be running across Quistis's face. When she realized Squall was staring at her and what she must have looked like, she flushed slightly but said simply, "Let's go, Squall." Squall nodded and once aqain set off leading point down the hallway.

The rest of their journey through the sewers was uneventful. They had three more fights, but only with bats that were quite easy to finish. They finally walked up a stairwell that led straight into General Caraway's den. Not having any idea of what to expect upon entering the den gave them momentary pause. Squall looked at Quistis and asked, "Ready?" "Ready," she nodded and they stepped inside the mansion.

General Caraway's large private den yawned contemptibly at them. There was no one in the room.

Squall commented with a grin, "This is kinda anticlimatic, wouldn't you say?" Quistis smiled back. "Let's get hunting."

Squall took one side of the room and Quistis took the other. They looked in all of the obvious places for any information that would help them, such as the General's desk, and in each and every book on the shelves. They knew they wouldn't discover anything valuable there in the way of information, but it had to be done just in case. They had started looking in the less obvious places, such as searching up under furniture to see if anything had been taped there and under the huge planters that held plants when suddenly the door opened.

Before Squall or Quitis could make a move, General Caraway walked in! All froze for a moment and then General Caraway reacted. "Hey! How'd you kids get in here?"

Before Squall or Quistis could offer a plausible explanation, General Caraway strode across his den toward Qutistis and scrutinized her in her skimpy schoolgirl uniform. "Hey!" he repeated. "I know you."

Then the General did a passing strange thing. He signaled them to remain silent and he walked behind his desk, bent down and turned on the radio placing the volume near the highest level. Ironically enough, it was Raido Deling Oldie Hour and they were playing _ Eyes on You _ by Julia.

Squall understood immediately and attempted to remember just what he and Quistis had said before the General arrived. Quistis looked questioningly at Squall, who speaking softly explained, "The General is afraid the room is bugged."

"That's right," the General said. "The President is a very paranoid individual and I would put nothing past him. Now what exactly are you doing here?" Squall decided to trust him, because, if they couldn't trust him, all was lost anyway.

"We've been commissioned by Esthar to locate and identify your President."

Quistis reacted with a start saying, "Squall!" Squall shook his head at her slightly and she stepped back following his lead.

"I can not help you," the General said. "I will not hinder you, but I can not help you. My postion here is tenuous at best and helping you would definitely place me in jeopardy."

Squall answered, "I can readily respect your position, General, but you must know that this is an unjust war that is hurting a lot of innocent people."

The General retreated behind his desk and sat down. He looked up, his visage softened considerably as he asked in a low tone of voice, "How is Rinoa?"

Squall was finally able to comprehend how much the General loved his daughter. "She's doing fine, sir."

"That's good. You keep her safe." General Caraway stood up for emphasis. "Here's the best I can do and I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for Rinoa. You can stay here. There are fifty rooms here spread among four floors. You can certainly find a space to hide, if need be. If you are captured, I will disavow any knowledge of how you came to be here, but I will also disavow any knowledge of whom you are. I must ask you, though, if you do choose to go out into the city that you use the sewer exit."

"Certainly, sir," Squall replied.

"And one more thing," the General went on, "I have been reassigned to the Grandidi Forest. My orders will come through some time this week. You have until then and after that you will have to leave here. For Hyne's sake, keep your eyes and ears open! There are major officers, guards, government officials and high ranking politicians in and out of here all the time."

"We understand, thank you sir," Squall replied. Quistis nodded.

* * *

A few minutes later, Squall and Quistis were sequestered in a fourth floor room. They had adjoining bedrooms. Squall figured, if for some reason someone was hunting for them it wouldn't matter what floor they were on, they would be discovered. But as far as someone just stumbling on them by accident, then they would be safest on a higher floor.

Quistis asked, "Squall, why do you think he put himself in danger like this, just to help us out?"

"Two reasons, I think," answered Squall. "The first one is I think he is really tired of fighting Galbadia's constant wars for them and two is his overwhelming love for Rinoa. He knows we all love her too and he wants us to stay alive, so we can continue to look out for her."

Quistis nodded in understanding. "Squall," she said, "just before General Caraway came into the room I was looking at his family pictures on his desk and when I picked up the picture of Rinoa this tiny scrap of paper fell out. It looks as though it's just gibberish. Do you think it means anything?"

She handed the paper to Squall who read "Kim slag amid Omar onus its oh you our cases day a any 005 pap yam."

Squall explained, "Must be some kinda code. Let me look at this for a minute."

After a few minutes, Squall looked up and said, "I think I have it."

Quistis appeared incredulous. "You're kidding?!"

"No, I'm serious. Don't you remember our ciphers class?"

"Well, I guess I do. I used to teach it, no da," Quistis said pedantically.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot," Squall said with a grin. "Take a look at this. This is one of the easist codes to break. See if there's any paper and something to write with in that desk drawner over there."

Quistis found some paper and a pencil and brought it over to Squall. "Now write this down," Squall directed. "We'll go by every third letter," he instructed. He said, "m..a..m..o..r..u..t..h..u..r.. s..d..a..y..5..p..m"

"Okay," Squall asked, "What do you have?"

Quistis spoke excitedly, "Mamoru, Thursday, five p.m. My God, you're brilliant!"

Squall had the decency to blush slightly. "No, I'm not. You taught it to me."

"Okay, but who's Mamoru?" Quistis asked.

Squall replied, "If it's this big a deal, then it must be somebody pretty important. And why would the General keep the note rather than throw it away?"

"I've got it!" Quistis exclaimed. "He must have needed to keep it for some kind of proof or verification. We need to return the note right away, so he doesn't get into any kind of trouble."

"You're right, of course," agreed Squall. "But there's one thing that bothers me. Why is that name so familiar?"

Quistis looked up and said, "The Legendary SeeD."

"Of course," Squall said. "How can I be so stupid? It was supposed to be the Legendary SeeD's name."

The Legendary SeeD was supposed to be the first graduate from Garden eleven years earlier. He was a gunblade specialist and had the greatest fighting skills Cid had ever witnessed, before or after. He disappeared on a mission to Esthar and was never seen as far as anyone knew since. Cid had grieved for years over his disappearance.

Quistis asked, "But did he ever really exist or is it just a Garden rumor started by some student?"

Squall answered, "Only Cid knows and he never talks about it. I wish we had some way to reach him and find out about this."

"Oh, well. We're not going to figure this out right this second. I'm going to lie down for a while and then I'll sneak down and return this message to the back of the picture. See you later this evening," Squall said leaving the room and entering his bedroom.

"Make sure you knock first before just barging into my bedroom," Quistis called after him. Squall responded by raising his right hand and waving it in a circle.

* * *

Selphie and Rinoa were talking in their room after the dinner hour on the second day Rinoa had attended classes. Selphie was preparing to go out and meet Irvine and Rinoa was preparing for an evening of study. She has already slipped out of her upper-classman uniform and put on some pajamas with pictures of rabbits on them.

Selphie turned to Rinoa and said while dabbing a little bit of perfume behind her ear, "Don't you just love that Akane?"

Rinoa agreed, "Yes, I think she's very sweet."

Selphie went on, "Well, I told her to drop by this evening before I realized I was going out with Irvine-."

"Where are you two going, by the way?" Rinoa interrupted.

"Oh, just out to supper in Balamb," Selphie responded rather absently. "Anyway as I was saying, why don't you spend some time with her? Kinda clue her in."

Rinoa exclaimed, "I'll be glad to. We can study together!"

Selphie turned her head quickly to hide her smile. This was a side of Rinoa she had never seen. She was acting like a schoolgirl again.

Selphie turned back to Rinoa. "Well, whatever, I'm outta here," she said leaving the room.

"Goodbye," Rinoa said to the empty room. Rinoa thought to herself, _ I never thought I could be this lonely at Garden. I never realized how much I depend on Squall. Well, that's gonna change! _

A short while later, while Rinoa was reviewing her notes from the Articles of Garden class, a barely audible knock came upon the door.

_ That's probably Akane, _ Rinoa thought as she padded to the door.

Rinoa opened the door and Akane stood in the doorway.

"Oh!" Akane said, her eyes opening wide, "What cute jammies."

Rinoa thought, _ Selphie was right. She's precious. _ Rinoa leaned forward and gave her a little hug and said, "Come on in."

After Akane was seated next to her on the bed, Rinoa explained where Selphie was.

"So you're welcome to stay," invited Rinoa. "You can help me study for my Articles of Garden test I'm having tomorrow. Plus I can explain anything you want to know about the Garden. I know what you're going through. When I first arrived I was really overwhelmed, but I had a great guide."

Rinoa smiled thinking back to Squall's _ twenty-five gil _ tour of the Garden.

"How long have you been here?" Akane asked.

"Oh, about eight months," Rinoa answered, slightly puzzled by Akane's interest.

After forty-five minutes of Akane quizzing Rinoa on the Articles of Garden from a handout Rinoa received in class, Rinoa sat back on her bed and said, "Well, I think that's enough for now. I'm getting a little tired."

Akane became flustered. "Oh, do you want me to leave?" She started to get up.

"No, no," Rinoa said emphatically. She thought to herself, _ Such a sensitive child. _

Akane asked, "Who is this Squall that I keep hearing about?"

Rinoa was partially taken aback, but realized it was a perfectly natural question from any newcomer to the Garden. Certainly she would have heard his name mentioned from any number of people.

Rinoa answered, "He's second-in-command of the Garden and was instrumental in defeating Sorceress Ultimecia."

"Is he your boyfriend?" Akane asked.

Rinoa found herself blushing when she answered, "Well, yes. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Akane responded in a meek voice. "Did I ask something too personal?"

"No, no!" Rinoa rushed to alleviate Akane's feelings. "I was just surprised for a moment." Rinoa thought _ Well, it's natural that she would have heard that too around the Garden and she's just doing the right thing to check it out. _

"Where is Squall anyway? I heard he's not here."

Rinoa answered, "He and Quistis are on some kind of mission to Deling City. I'm not quite sure what it involves."

"That's too bad," Akane replied. "I would love to meet him."

"He'll be back soon, hopefully," was Rinoa's explanation.

"I bet you really miss him," Akane ventured. Rinoa thought, _ This kid is sharp as a tack and straight to the point. _

Rinoa nodded in the affirmative, not willing to trust her voice, being frightened it might crack. She hadn't discussed with anyone how badly she missed Squall, because she was afraid she would break down.

Akane, sensing Rinoa's mood, changed the subject. "Who was that jerk yesterday, anyway?"

Rinoa, distracted by her feelings for a moment, off handedly responded, "Oh, that's Seifer. He used to be a student here. Why do you ask?"

"Because," Akane explained, "he used that old line _ Don't I know you from somewhere, my dear?" _ Rinoa and Akane began to giggle and then began to laugh. Rinoa leaned forward and gave Akane another hug. _ She's so precious, _ Rinoa thought again. 


	4. Once Again Chapter Four

Once Again

Chapter Four

_Irvine's Watch_

Quistis Strikes a Pose

Selphie and Irvine strolled into the lobby of the Balamb Hotel.

Selphie asked, "Why did you choose this place to eat when there's that nice place down by the water at the end of the dock?"

Irvine explained, "I heard the weather was going to be a little rough tonight and I thought this would be less dangerous."

"That's strange. I didn't hear anything about that" Selphie replied.

After they were seated at their table and ordered their dinner, Selphie leaned forward and said "Irvy, you should have seen Rinoa when I left the room. She was wearing pajamas with little bunny rabbits on them. And she was waiting for her little friend, Akane, to come visit, so they could study together. It was so sweet."

Irvine questioned, "I wonder if Squall is going to think it's so _ sweet _ when he comes back?"

"Now what's that supposed to mean, exactly?"

"Selphie" Irvine said distinctly, "if you can't read between the lines, I'm not going to explain it to you."

Selphie, choosing to ignore that particular line of conversation, changed the subject saying "Isn't that Akane so cute?"

"Yeah, she's really sexy!" Irvine agreed. When Selphie glared at him, Irvine attempted to correct himself. "I mean, for someone who is young, I mean for a fifteen year old little girl."

Selphie retorted, "Oh, just shut up and eat, Irvine!" as the waiter had just arrived with their food.

After they had finished eating, Irvine pushed himself away from the table and exclaimed, "Now that was good!"

"I don't know, Irvine," said Selphie shaking her head. "Didn't you think those clams were a little funny?"

"Yeah, they were a laugh riot" snickered Irvine.

"Oh, very funny. Har! Har! Irvine," snapped Selphie.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" questioned Selphie after Irvine paid their dinner tab and they left the restaurant and entered the lobby area of the hotel.

"I thought we might take a walk down by the beach," Irvine suggested.

Selphie smiled to herself. "That Irvine" she thought. "He never stops trying."

Just to hassle him, Selphie remarked, "I thought you said there was going to be bad weather." "I kinda wanted to go to the Balamb Theatre and see that new movie _ Loveless" _ Selphie continued. Irvine made a large production out of peering through the huge window behind the hotel reception desk and then spinning around and glancing out of the open hotel doors.

"No" he finally spoke. "It looks as though those reports were mistaken. But first I have to do something."

"What's that?" Selphie queried.

"The last time I stayed overnight at Balamb, I must have lost my grandfather's heirloom pocket watch. I didn't realize it until a couple of days later. I haven't been down here since. I want to go and look for it in Room 115."

"Grandfather's watch? I don't remember anything about you having your grandfather's watch," Selphie said suspiciously.

"Oh, sure" Irvine responded blithely. "You've seen it a million times and just don't remember it. It's a big pocket watch."

Selphie continued to look dubiously at Irvine. "And when were you here by yourself?"

Irvine glibly explained, "I came down to get some supplies for the Garden and a unexpected storm came up leaving me stranded."

"Hang on a minute, Selphie" said Irvine as he strode up the reception desk leaving Selphie back by the hotel entrance. Selphie was continuing to appear dubious about this entire scenario.

Irvine positioned himself in such a way that Selphie could not see money exchanging hands between he and the hotel owner's wife who worked behind the reception desk. Irvine came back with a large smile on his face and a key held high in his hand.

"I'm in luck! There's nobody staying in that room today, so I can go search it. Coming, Selphie?" Irvine asked.

Selphie, who still thought there was some shenanigans going on but realized it would be rude of her and also very boring to not go with him, said "Okay, Irvy."

Room 115 was on the next floor up from the lobby. Selphie and Irvine walked up the slightly curving staircase and went down a hallway to the left until they were standing in front of the door of room 115.

"We're here," Irvine said making a large production out of holding up the room kay and inserting it into the lock.

Selphie continued to eye Irvine suspiciously.

Irvine opened the door and bowed from the waist. "Madomoiselle" he said indicating that Selphie should go in first. As Selphie crossed the threshold of the room, she exclaimed, "Irvine! Knock it off. You are so corny."

Irvine, following Selphie into the room, stopped and stretched his arms straight out. "Whew," he said, "Might as well get comfortable" and took off his long cattleman's coat and cowboy hat and laid them on the desk against the far wall across from the three beds in the room. He looked expectantly at Selphie who rebuked him saying "Ivine! I hope you don't think I'm taking my dress off to get comfortable. I'm not wearing a coat in case you haven't noticed!"

"Aw, Sefie," Irvine complained while walking over to the large window at the end of the room. "Sefie, come here and look at this view," Irvine requested. Selphie walked over to the window. She had to admit that it was a breathtaking view of the mountains that surrounded the town of Balamb under a beautiful starlit night. Irvine slipped his arm around Selphie and bent down and ever so softly began kissing Selphie's neck. It took Selphie's breath away. Irvine looked Selphie closely in the face and asked, Sefie?" Selphie cooed, "What, Irvy?"

Irvine suddenly reached down and pulled the zipper on the front of her yellow dress all the way down fully exposing her bare breasts and cotton panties! As Selphie stood momentarily stunned by Irvine's latest treachery, he pulled her dress off her shoulders and down to the floor. It wasn't until Irvine had wrestled her panties down to her knees that Selphie was able to leap into action.

Selphie screamed "Irvine!" and began striking him wherever she could reach untill she was able to push him away. "I should have known better. Grandfather's watch! What a crock!"

Selphie quickly readjusted her panties and then slipped her dress on. "I'm going back to the Garden - with or without you!" Selphie said marching out of the hotel room.

"Sefie, wait up," called Irvine hurriedly retrieving his hat and coat.

* * *

A few hours later, Squall dashed into Quistis's bedroom out of breath.

"Squall! Get out of here! I'm not dressed," Quistis shouted, as she was standing totally nude.

Squall, who had his eye pressed up to a crack between the frame and the door that entered the hallway, said urgently "Keep your voice down."

"Okay" Quistis replied in a lower tone. "But you get out of here. I don't have anything on."

Squall explained, "A few minutes ago, I was down in General Caraway's office replacing the note behind Rinoa's picture when I suddenly realized there was a group of soldiers making a room by room sweep of the mansion. I ran straight back here. They're on the third floor now!"

In her anxiety, Quistis forgot to keep her _ most secret spot _ covered and she moved her right hand up to her mouth as she exclaimed, Oh, Great Hyne! What are we going to do?"

Glancing at her, Squall explained, "You not being dressed is a Godsend."

"Oh, great" Quistis replied. "What do you want me to do? Stand naked in front of the door? Why would that cause them to not check the room? Don't you think they might find it a tad suspicious?"

"If you would slow down for a minute, I'll tell you what I'm thinking," answered Squall.

"Please do," retorted Quistis.

"When they open the door, just hold that scanty schoolgirl uniform up in front of yourself and go EEK or something. I guarantee you they will become so flustered they'll leave."

"Okay" Quistis agreed. "That sounds as if it might work, but where are you going to be?"

"Under the bed, of course" said Squall with a grin.

A few moments later, the door opened and three Galbadians soldier walked in. Quistis let out the loudest shriek possible and held the schoolgirl uniform up in front of her nudity.

"Rape! Rape!" Quistis started shouting.

The Galbadian soldiers immediately started to back up. "We're sorry, little girl. We didn't mean to frighten you" one of the soldiers explained as they closed the door.

Squall crawled out from underneath the bed. "Worked like a charm," he said grinning at her. "That was a nice touch yelling rape like that."

"Squall!" Quistis said sternly. "I'm still not dressed. At least turn your back or better still go to your room!"

"Yes, instructor" replied Squall while he turned around and headed toward his bedroom. The last thing he heard was Quistis snorting "Little girl! I'll show them their little girl!"

* * *

Around midnight, Squall and Quistis sat quietly talking on her bed when there came a very soft knock on the door. Squall cautioned Quistis to remain still and then he very quietly but quickly covered the area to the door, pressed his face to the door and cracked the door open ever so slightly to see General Caraway standing there holding a tray of hot steaming food. Squall threw the door open quickly as he and Quistis had not eaten since early morning before leaving the youth hostel and that seemed a long time ago.

The General entered the room and Squall shut the door behind him and locked it. Squall _ liberated _ the dinner tray from General Caraway and placed it on the bed where he had been sitting by Quistis.

"Thank you very much," Squall said. "It is much appreciated." 

The General nodded. "I assumed that things would still be too hot in the kitchen for you to come down and get your own meal" leading Squall to understand the soldiers were still searching the lower floors. "Oh, by the way," the General said turning toward Quistis and smiling ever so slightly, "three soldiers were very upset they had walked in on my _niece _when she was changing." Quistis offered a small smile in return.

General Caraway turned to Squall and stated, "You two did very well to escape that dragnet tonight."

"What's going on, General?" Squall asked. "Who are they looking for?"

"They're looking for _you," _was the General's startling reply.

"What?!" Quistis was shocked to learn their cover had apparently been blown so quickly. "They're looking for us? They're specifically looking for us?"

"Yes," the General nodded. "They have your names and your descriptions, but they don't know why you're here. Your disguise saved you from capture tonight."

"But how?" Quistis was incredulous. Squall quietly answered, "There must be a spy back at Garden."

The General nodded approvingly at Squall. "Yes, I believe they planted a _mole _at your facility."

"But who?" Quistis rhetorically wondered.

Squall answered, "We have no way of knowing from here. There's nothing we can do about that until we get back to Garden."

Squall turned to General Caraway and asked point blank, "Who is Mamoru?"

General Caraway remained silent for several minutes as Quistis felt the tension rise palpably in the room. Finally he answered, "You two are very good. But then why should I be surprised considering the things you have accomplished in the past? Okay, you asked me direct. I'll answer you the same way. He is the President of Galbadia."

Squall continued probing. "How did he accomplish this? Where did he come from? Who is he?"

The General answered softly, "Slow down, son. I'll answer all of your questions," and he pulled up a straight back chair and sat down.

Squall continued to stand near the bed. General Caraway explained, "He appeared in Deling City about a year and a half ago. I don't where he came from, but he had a great deal of money and was not averse to throwing it around in the right areas, if you catch my drift."

"What did he do for a living?" Squall asked.

"No one knows," was the General's reply. "Squall, please" Quistis said from her seat on the bed, reaching out and placing her hand on Squall's arm. "Let General Caraway tell it in his own way."

"He began to become very influential in politics," the General went on. "He didn't do anything hands on, but he bought others. He bought a lot of _others _and then moved into the military," the General said somewhat bitterly. "He had some big-shot politician award him a high commision and he became involved in the war." "I will say this for him," the General admitted, "He's a brilliant tactician and he doesn't know the meaning of fear." "I don't know where he received his training, but I know it was someplace good," General Caraway explained.

Squall thought to himself, "I know where he received it and he's supposed to be the best there ever was."

"After you defeated Sorceress Adel and destroyed Lunatic Pandora, everything was complete chaos here. That's when he moved in and took over," the General said. "He had enough political power in his back pocket and he had the support of the military. What else did he need?" General Caraway asked rhetorically. "Plus he was completely unknown to the general public and he still is to this very day."

"Why is he coming to see you, General?" asked Quistis.

"I'm not sure," was the General's response. "I only know it isn't about my reassignment."

"General," Squall asked, "do you know anything about the status of your missile base?"

General Caraway stiffened. The question had obviously struck a nerve. "I know nothing about it," he said formally. "The new President strictly operates on a _need to know _basis and I have no jurisdiction in that area."

General Caraway stood up. "If that's all of your questions for now, I'd like to retire and I'm sure you've had a long day also."

When the General reached the door he said with a small smile, "Make sure you keep this door locked. You don't want anybody walking in on my _niece _again."

Quistis said "Thanks again for the food."

Squall asked, "General, is there a message you'd like us to give Rinoa?"

General Caraway looked sadly at them and replied, "Tell her I love her very much and miss her badly. Good night" he said leaving the room.

As Squall was crossing to the door to lock it, Quistis commented, "That's really sad."

"Hey Squall, did you notice he called you son? I think he was giving his consent for you to marry Rinoa" teased Quistis.

Squall blushed and snapped, "It's just an expression, damn it!"

"Ooh, touchy," Quistis laughed.

Squall returned to the bed, where Quistis was already digging into the food.

"I wonder why the President is visiting General Caraway," Quistis said.

"I don't know," answered Squall, stuffing food into his mouth. "But I do know when he gets here tomorrow, I'm gonna be in that room somehow. I want to see what this guy looks like!"

* * *

Selphie, Zell, Akane, the pigtail girl, Irvine and Rinoa were seated around an early morning table in the coffee shop.

Selphie was talking about the new Garden Festival she was planning. "It's going to be the bomb!" Selphie exclaimed. Selphie asked, "What about you, Akane? Are you going to help us?"

"Oh, sure," Akane answered excitedly. "I'd love to, but what do you have planned?"

Zell spoke up, "She's probably going to try and make us play music again."

Selphie fought back. "Cut me some slack, Zell You loved it!"

The pigtail girl leaned over, gave Zell a peck on the cheek, stood up and said, "I have to get to class."

As she walked away, Zell shouted out, "Have a good day, Na-."

"Rinoa!" Selphie exclaimed in a loud tone drowning out Zell. Rinoa's head snapped up. She had been nodding over her notes on the Articles of Garden.

Selphie said, "I see someone went to _cram school _last night. Which course is the test in?"

When Rinoa responded it was an Articles of Garden test, Selphie and Zell began groaning, both of them remembering how difficult the class had been and what a backbreaker the tests were.

Zell advised, "You should let it go now. Don't study up 'til the last second. You'll end up just psyching yourself out. If you don't know it by now, chances are fifteen to twenty more minutes of cramming isn't going to help a bit."

Selphie agreed. "Zell's right. It's time to just let it go and do the best you can."

Rinoa, deciding their feedback was sound, closed her notebook and replied, "Thank you, everybody. It's just so hard. I haven't been in school for four years. Actually I wasn't in school than either. _That man _always had tutors for me. It was really easy."

Zell changed the subject saying, "Can anybody help me today? I need to go down to Balamb in one of the trucks to pick up some supplies."

Selphie and Irvine both knew that Zell always volunteered for this duty because he liked to spend a couple of hours with his family before returning and it became very boring quickly for anyone who traveled with him. They quickly thought of excuses for why they couldn't go.

"What about you, Rinoa? Could you go with me?" Zell asked.

"Me?" asked Rinoa, feeling secretly flattered that somebody had asked her for assistance. "Sure, I can go, but you'll have to wait until I get out of my Articles of Garden class."

"Hey, no prob!" exclaimed Zell.

* * *

When Cid entered his office, he was surprised to see Xu leaning over Fujin, who was sitting at his secretary's desk. Xu looked up and greeted him. "Good Morning, Cid." Fujin echoed "MORNING."

Cid asked, "What's going on here? Where's Catherine?"

Xu asked, "Don't you mean Pamela?"

"Uh, right," admitted Cid. "That's what I meant."

Xu explained, "Pamela was assigned to different duties. Fujin is going to be your new secretary. You're okay with that, aren't you?"

Cid, who appeared more than a little perplexed, answered, "Of course I am."

At the end of a rather uneventful morning staff meeting, Cid stood and asked, "Have we heard anything from Squall and Quistis?"

When Xu answered in the negative, Cid looked vaguely disturbed and said wistfully, "I hope they're alright."

"I'm sure they are, Cid" Xu replied emphatically. "You couldn't have sent anyone better equipped to do the job."

"I hope you're right," Cid responded.

"Well, if you'll excuse me," Xu said, while offering a slight bow. "I have the rest of my duties to attend to" and then left the office heading toward the elevator.

* * *

Quistis was in the bathroom completing her morning grooming, while Squall sat on her bed waiting impatiently for her to finish.

"What's our first move today?" Quistis asked through the bathroom door.

"Getting you out of the bathroom" Squall muttered.

"What?" Quistis asked. "I can't hear you. You need to speak up."

"I said getting something to eat" lied Squall.

Quistis replied from the bathroom, "I was thinking more in terms of our mission, Squall."

The bathroom door opened and Quistis exited wearing her schoolgirl uniform.

"Good Morning, little schoolgirl!" Squall exclaimed. "Can I come home with you?"

"Stop it!" Quistis demanded. "Will you get serious? And anyway, I suppose you think your outfit looks attractive?"

Squall grinned and then replied seriously, "We need to discover a method to get word back to the Garden about everything - the probability of a spy, the new Galbadian front being formed in the Grandidi Forest, who the President is, and the possibility of his being the Legendary SeeD. Only Cid will know for certain, if it could be true. I wish I already knew what he looked like."

Quistis asked, "I suppose attempting to get back to the Garden with the information ourselves is out of the question?"

Squall agreed. "Very much out of the question! They're looking for us. If we try to leave now, we'll be under much closer scrutiny than when we arrived. We're just going to have to lay low until this thing blows over a little."

* * *

Squall and Quistis were standing by the hidden entry to the sewers in General Caraway's den after literally creeping down from the bedrooms. Quistis said, "That was certainly nerve wracking, but we didn't see a soul."

Squall joked, "Maybe it's maid's day off." Quistis pushed him. "Will you please get serious!"

"Okay" he said, "But try to not be daydreaming this time through the sewers." It was Quistis's turn to feel chagrined. "Okay" she said tersely.

An hour later they emerged from the sewers and were back up in Deling City.


	5. Once Again Chapter Five

Once Again

Chapter Five

_Rinoa Learns the Naked Truth_

An hour later Squall and Quistis emerged from the sewers and were back up in Deling City.

"Thank Hyne" exclaimed Quistis. "I get so sick of that stench down there."

"Well, you better get used to it, if you don't want to stay home a lot" replied Squall. Quistis asked, "Which way?" Squall pointed to the street that would eventually take them through the park. They walked briskly and attempted to do nothing that might attract attention. As they walked along the path through the city park, Quistis suddenly exclaimed, "Squall, look!"

Squall turned his head and peered into the park in the direction that Quistis was gazing. He observed a young woman sitting under a large bush gently weeping. Squall looked at Quistis with an expression of puzzlement on his face that appeared to ask _ so what? _

Quistis explained simply, "It's Kasumi."

"Kasumi!" Squall thought, "What in the hell is Kasumi doing here?!"

Squall suggested, thinking rapidly "Quistis, we need to get her out of the public eye as quickly as possible. You go over there and attempt to scoop her up and calm her down a little. I'll walk up about a block ahead, so I can keep my eye on you two. When she appears as if she can start moving without attracting attention, walk her down and we'll meet at the doorway leading back to the sewers."

"Good plan, Squall," Quistis complimented and turned and headed toward Kasumi.

Squall walked down the path until he was far enough away to just barely distinguish them and paused. He knelt down by his guitar case and opened it up. In case anyone was watching him and wondering why he was loitering, it would look as though he was fixing his guitar. He was able to keep a close eye on the entire perimeter in case any Galbadian soldiers or Secret Police suddenly arrived in the area. He was gratified to observe Quistis didn't waste any time in assisting Kasumi up on her feet and moving towards him. Squall closed up his guitar case and walked ahead of them down to the sewer entrance.

Kasumi and Quistis came walking up. "Squall" Kasumi greeted.

Squall shook his head sharply and whispered, "Not here," and then pointed at the door.

Once they were downstairs in the sewers, Squall breathed a sigh of relief and said to Kasumi, "Now you can talk. What are you doing here?"

Squall could perceive from her appearance Kasumi was close to the breaking point and recognized he needed to be gentle with her in order to not push her over the line.

Kasumi sniffed back a couple of tears, appeared to draw on some inner strength and launched into her explanation.

"Brian, Shinji, Mishima and myself were assigned to basically infiltrate Timber and Dollet and attempt to consolidate resistance to the Galbadian Army. When we initially entered Timber, we were in contact with Watts and Zone. At that point, it was decided that Shinji and myself should move on to Dollet. Everything appeared to be going well. Dollet was calm and we were able to meet some resistance people and do some networking."

Squall grimaced. He hated these new jargon code words.

Kasumi continued, "We were foolish. It appeared so peaceful we were staying in town - in the hotel. We should have been camped out somewhere in the forest. One night around midnight the Galbadian Secret Police made a sweep through town. When they got to the hotel we were trapped. There was no back way out. We attempted to escape. There was gunfire. I saw Shinji fall. I don't know if he was hit. I attempted to get back to him. I would have been captured myself. I had to run. The next day Dollet was sealed up tighter than a drum. Either everyone was in hiding or they wouldn't talk to me. I myself had to go down to the beach and swim down the coast to escape."

Quistis questioned, "So you have no idea what happened to Shini?"

Kasumi looked up, shook her head no, while tears silently started falling from her eyes.

Squall suddenly remembered that back at the Garden Kasumi and Shinji were a _ couple. _ "No wonder she feels so guilty" Squall thought. "They were staying at the hotel in Dollet _ playing house." _

Squall glared at Quistis for interrupting Kasumi and encouraged Kasumi saying, "Go on when you think you can."

After a minute or two, Kasumi pulled herself together and began again. "I managed to get back to Timber. But I couldn't find anybody! No one at all - not even Zone or Watts. I talked to Sayoko, the Forest Fox lady, and she said she didn't know anything except two days previously the Galbadian Secret Police made a sweep through town and arrested a lot of people. She was kind enough to let me rest for a few hours, but after that she said I had to leave because she was _ too hot _ herself. She was afraid they were going to come to her house anytime and I would be captured along with them."

Kasumi paused for a moment and then began again. "I didn't know what to do. I could have returned to Balamb, but what good would that have done? I couldn't return without knowing what had happened to everyone and without accomplishing my mission."

Squall nodded approvingly.

Kasumi went on. "I managed to get up here to Deling City. I thought maybe I'd find one of them or at least I could learn something about where they were or what happened to them. But I ran out of money yesterday and I'm so hungry and I have no where to stay."

Kasumi began quietly sobbing. Quistis reached over with her right hand and squeezed one of Kasumi's arms and said quietly, "It'll be alright now, Kasumi. You're among friends."

Squall realized instinctively it was time to instill some backbone into this capable young woman. "Kasumi!" he said sharply as Kasumi looked up and Quistis gasped moving her right hand to her mouth.

"I'm sorry," Squall continued, "that you were too busy _ playing house _ with Shinji in the hotel to pay attention to your assignment. I'm sorry that it might have cost him his life, but it's time for you to fight back. You're a SeeD! Act like one!"

Kasumi instantly snapped to attention, her tears dried up and she offered Squall the SeeD salute.

As Squall returned it, he said in a softer voice, "That's better. Now we will get you to a place to grab some sleep and some food to eat. Then you're going to take some critical information pertaining to our mission back to Garden for us. Once you're back there, they'll decide how they want to handle finding your lost comrades."

"Yes, sir!" Kasumi answered emphatically.

"Now let's go" Squall directed while turning his head toward Quistis and offering a quick wink. The trip back to the General's mansion was uneventful consisting of a few battles with bats. Because of her weakened condition, Kasumi was unable to add much in the area of fighting, although she was able to keep everyone healed.

When they stepped into General Caraway's den through the hidden door, the General looked up from his chair at his desk. "Ah," he said, "I see my _ niece _ has brought a friend home with her."

Standing up the General explained, "Excuse me while I go to the kitchen." and bowed slightly and left the room. Squall understood the General was going to bring them food.

They hadn't been in Quistis's room very long at all, when a soft knock came upon the door. When Squall cracked the door open and looked out, he saw three trays of food lying on the floor.

After they had eaten, Kasumi curled up and fell instantly asleep on Quistis's bed. Squall and Quistis quietly left the room and entered Squall's bedroom, but left the adjoining door open so they could be aware of anything that occurred in the next room.

As they sat down together on the side of Squall's bed, Quistis said, "When you started going off on Kasumi I thought _ what a jerk! _ But then I realized I was giving her what she wanted. You gave her what she needed! You were magnificant, Squall."

Squall ducked his head with a grin. "Oh, go on with you now" he joked.

"No, I mean it Squall!" insisted Quistis.

Squall looked up. "Dom Arigato" he said.

* * *

Xu was in the middle of the daily dormitory inspection when she reached Seifer's room. She took a deep breath and stepped inside. "Well," boomed out Seifer's voice. "If it isn't my dear Xu. Have you come to threaten me or just lock me in the disciplinary room?" Seifer was seated on his bed with his back to the wall, wearing his same long military coat, with his legs and feet stretched out over the seat of a straight back chair and holding his gunblade up by his right shoulder.

"Seifer!" Xu exclaimed loudly noticing that Seifer had stiffened just a little at the sound of her voice. "I have come to talk." "May I sit down?" she asked.

"Please do," responded Seifer sarcastically, removing his feet from the chair and putting them down on the floor, while sitting up from his slouching position.

Xu sat down. "Thank you." "Seifer," Xu continued, "I have come to ask for your forgiveness." Seifer appeared extremely perplexed and at a loss for words. Seifer realized when he returned to Garden that he eventually was going to encounter Xu and he had his verbal attack prepared. This was totally confusing to him. Xu inwardly smiled. She recognized this approach would throw Seifer completely off his guard.

"Forgive you for what?" Seifer finally blurted out.

Xu explained, "A good teacher, instructor, administrator - whatever you want to call it - would have attempted to draw you out, win your trust in an attempt to help you. I never did any of those things. When you failed, I blamed you instead of looking at how I failed you. Will you forgive me?"

Seifer still appeared totally confused. "Uh, sure," he said. "I forgive you."

Xu stood up. "Good, that's settled. Now you make sure you come to me, if you're experiencing any problems at all - Raijin and Fujin too. Do you promise?"

"Uh, sure," Seifer responded.

Xu smiled to herself when leaving the room. Wait 'til she tells the doctor this one, she thought.

* * *

Rinoa met Zell in the parking garage in the afternoon and they set out for Balamb in a Garden truck with Zell driving; a little haphazardly to Rinoa's thinking, but they arrived there safely. Pulling into Balamb, Zell explained, "We have to load all the cases into the back of the truck. This is a monthly order, so the shop will have everything ready for us." It took them about an hour to load the truck and once they were finished, Zell looked at Rinoa, who was sweating profusely. "Man, you look _ zonked" _ Zell pointed out.

Rinoa agreed, "I feel _ zonked." _ Rinoa realized she was really feeling the effects of remaining up all night studying.

Zell informed her. "I'm going to visit my parents for a little while. Do you want to come along?" Zell felt relieved when Rinoa declined the invitation. His friends were usually quite bored, if they went along with him.

Rinoa expressed, "I'm going to crawl into the back of the truck and get a little sleep."

Zell exclaimed, "Hey, no prob! Catch you later," and ran off down the street toward his parents' home.

Rinoa opened the back door of the truck and climbed in, shutting the door behind her. "Whew," she thought, "It's so hot in here. I'll never be able to fall asleep in here." Against her better judgment, Rinoa decided to remove her uniform in order to feel a little more comfortable. Rinoa folded it neatly and placed it in the corner of the truck. She lay her head down and fell asleep immediately.

Two hours later, Zell emerged from his parents' house and returned to the truck. He climbed into the cab and glanced into the back of the truck. Rinoa was lying sideways against the supplies and Zell could only distinguish her head and shoes. "Still sleeping," Zell thought. "Poor kid. I'll let her sleep until we get back to Garden."

The next thing Rinoa realized Zell was opening the back door of the truck and a group of upper-classmen, including Akane, was standing there to help unload the truck. Someone reached out with a hand to help her down. It had been extremely hot in the truck and Rinoa had continued to perspire freely thereby rendering her white bra and panties completely transparent. Someone in the crowd gasped when they caught a glimpse of Rinoa and a male upper-classman wolf whistled. A look of total shock and disgust crossed Akane's face that she was quick to hide.

When Rinoa finally woke up enough to glance around and then down discovering her entire body was on public display, she let loose with a _ blood-curdling _ scream. This brought the situation to Zell's attention who quickly handed Rinoa her uniform, who wrapped it around herself and ran down the corridor.

When the unloading was completed and practically everyone had left, Akane turned to Zell, smiled sweetly and asked, "Rinoa is General Caraway's daughter, isn't she?"

Zell, caught off guard, answered slowly "Why, yes she is, but where did you hear that?"

"Oh, somewhere around the Garden" she answered blithely.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon by the time Kasumi woke up. Squall had already gone down to the kitchen and brought up an early dinner and, as soon as Kasumi had eaten, they schooled her in the information they needed her to take back to Garden. Squall wisely decided that she should carry nothing written regarding this information in case the Galbadian Army or Secret Police stopped her.

Squall explained, "Here's more than enough money for you to get back. It will pay for several days of meals and lodging, plus I want you to rent a car here in Deling City. Forget trying to use the trains. They're watching them too closely. Make sure to use your fake I.D. when you rent the car. If they insist on a deposit, pay it without a murmur. At all costs, you want to get out of Deling City, because I think things are going to get worse before they get better. Take the train from Timber if you can. If you absolutely can't risk the Timber train, go over to Dollet again. There are a number of smugglers in Dollet. For enough money, they'll take you anywhere. You have to get back to Balamb! If the Garden isn't there, you are to go to Balamb city. You look up Zell's mom and tell her who you are. She'll hide you until the Garden comes back. Don't stay at the hotel, even if you still have money left. We have no idea when the Galbadian Army might show back up there. Is all of that understood?"

Kasumi hopped up from her chair, stood at attention and snapped up the SeeD salute. Squall returned it and said "At ease."

Squall explained in a softer tone, "I'm not going to wish you luck, because you're not going to need it. People who need luck are incompetent and doomed to failure, because one day their luck runs out. You are a young, capable, strong SeeD backed by the finest training in the world."

Squall reached out and shook her hand. "Thank you, sir" she responded.

Once they were safely out of the sewers and back to Deling City proper, Squall and Quistis saw Kasumi safely out of town by following her at a discreet distant to the Rent-A-Car business.

As she drove the car past the city limits, Quistis turned to Squall and expressed, "I hope she makes it okay."

"She'll make it," Squall stated without equivocation.

"Thanks to you, Squall" Quistis replied softly.

"Stop it! You're embarrassing me, Quistis."

Quistis turned and looked at him thinking not for the first time, "Rinoa certainly is a lucky young woman to have the love of this man."

Quistis snapped herself out of her reverie and asked, "What now, Squall?"

Squall answered, "Now we have to put our heads together and figure out where in the mansion the General will be meeting the President!"

* * *

Squall and Quistis discussed the possible meeting place of the President and General Caraway on their return through the sewers. As Squall stepped back into the General's den, he wasn't surprised to see General Caraway absent. He realized the General wouldn't want to be questioned as to where in the mansion the meeting would take place. Squall understood that if the General chose to tell him, it would place General Caraway in grave danger.

As they entered into Quistis's room, Squall said, "I think I know where they're gonna meet."

Quistis protested, "So don't keep me in suspense."

Squall crossed the room, sat on her bed and began talking. "We've been wracking our brains trying to come up with the place that fits the following criteria - safe from the outside means no windows, doorways easy to block and a central place to whisk the President in and out from, right?"

Quistis nodded her head.

Squall explained, "The front foyer!"

Quistis replied, "You're right. They can bring him right in the front door. There'll be guards on the front door, guards on the back door, it's a big open room with no place to hide, no windows to the outside and ground level for easy access."

They sat in silence for a moment and then Quistis asked, "But how are we going to get into the meeting and hear what they say?"

"Oh, that easy" Squall replied glibly. "We're not."

Quistis appeared completely baffled. "What are you saying, Squall? Are we giving up?"

"No, of course not," he responded. "But we have to face the reality of the situation also. The President's tantamount concern is remaining incognito to the general public. I want to see who he is. Of course, I would like to know what they talk about, but that's not possible. And anyway the General might tell us."

"So what you're saying is that we need to see if he looks anything like the picture of the Legendary SeeD!" Quistis said excitedly.

"That's right" Squall agreed.

"But how are we going to do that, Squall?"

"We're not, you are" Squall answered. Perceiving the puzzled look on Quistis's face, he continued, "We'll already be in the house. You come down the staircase, as if you're going out. You stop in surprise as you notice what's going on. Don't worry. The General will have to cover for you. He won't want to inciminate himself. You bow politely and excuse yourself running back up the stairs."

Quistis exclaimed, "Squall! That might work!"

"Of course it will," he replied. "But Quistis, one thing," he commented, "make sure you carry your backpack in front of your breasts. They're way too large for a schoolgirl."

Squall turned his head, so he wouldn't see Quistis blushing.

* * *

Squall was waiting in Quitis's bedroom in the huge walk-in closet. He had decided hiding under the bed would afford him little opportunity to launch an attack if he was discovered. He stood patiently in the closet holding _ Lion Heart _ in his right hand not making a sound, except for quiet breathing, when his thoughts drifted back to Garden and Rinoa. He hoped she was doing all right without him. He felt so sorry for her sometimes. She wanted so badly to fit in and seemed to always get herself in such terrible situations. He shook his head, impatient with himself. He needed to stay alert. It wouldn't do at all if a Galbadian soldier suddenly pulled the door open and he was in here daydreaming!

Suddenly Squall heard the bedroom door open and shut quietly. He waited apprehensively until he heard "Squall?"

He opened the door and stepped out. Quistis was standing in the center of the room looking around.

"Well?' he asked her.

"Worked like a charm!" was the answer from Quistis. "And Squall? It was him! It was the Legendary SeeD!" Quistis exclaimed excitedly. "He was a little older looking, but it was definitely him."

Squall made no comment other than to say, "Now we wait."

* * *

Zell, Selphie, Irvine and the pigtail girl were sitting around a table in the coffee shop just before dinner hour later that afternoon.

Irvine asked, "Did you hear about Rinoa's latest escapade?"

Selphie responded tartly, "You're more than a little late, Irvine. Zell was there!"

Irvine glanced at Zell. "Aw, man. You're so lucky!"

Selphie glared at Irvine. "Irvine!" He sat back in his chair.

"It would seem to me," Selphie continued, "that the longer Squall is gone, the more these episodes will occur, because Rinoa, feeling inadequate, will need to continue to check out if men find her attractive."

"Aw, Selphie" Zell complained. "Where do you come up with this crap?"

"Oh, I just make it up as I go along."

"Come on, let's go eat" said Irvine, pushing back from the table and standing up.

* * *

Xu was in her now customary seat on the stool in front of the doctor's desk. Doctor Kadowaki was laughing uproariously. "Did you really say that, Xu?" the doctor asked.

"I swear to Hyne!" Xu responded holding her right hand up. "And you know doc," Xu continued, "You were right. By actually saying those things, it turned out I meant some of them. I probably didn't do right by Seifer all the time. There were times I should have backed down - I was one of his commanders. Of course, I was always going to win. But what exactly did I win? So, all I've got to say to you is thank you."

Doctor Kadowaki replied seriously, "You're welcome, Xu." Standing up from her desk, the doctor suggested, "Let's go eat."

* * *

Akane was sitting beside Rinoa on Rinoa's bed literally holding her hand. "Oh, that must have been horribly embarrassing for you" Akane cooed. "I felt so sorry for you and I just wanted to slap all those horrible people, who kept looking and didn't have the decency to turn their heads away."

Akane continued, "It was a natural mistake that anybody could have made. I don't why everybody is so hard on you. You've been wonderful to me."

Rinoa realized the young girl was actually helping her to feel better. She supposed presently she was so hungry for any kind of support it didn't matter where it came from, but she didn't care. She was just grateful for what Akane was saying.

Rinoa squeezed Akane's hand and replied, "Thank you so much, Akane. I really appreciate your friendship."

"By the way," Akane asked off handedly "has anybody heard anything from Squall on how he's doing in Deling City?"

Rinoa felt an instant pang at the sound of Squall's name. She forced herself to maintain an even tone when she replied, "No, not a word. But I'm sure he'll be back anytime."

"Oh, good" Akane smiled. "I really want to meet him."

As they stood up and started out the door, Akane asked in an innocent voice, "Rinoa, shouldn't you put some clothes on before we go out?"

"What?!" Rinoa shouted, quickly glancing down at herself. When she saw she was attired in her uniform, she heard Akane laughing. Akane spoke through her giggles. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't help myself." Rinoa looked up and smiled weakly.

* * *

Cid stood up from his desk and said, "Fujin, you may go to dinner now."

Fujin stood up from her desk and replied, "OKAY."

Cid walked over to Fujin and expressed, "I want to tell you that you're doing a fine job."

Fujin responded, "THANKS."

Cid continued, "And I wanted to thank you for the way you've been helping Raijin readjust to the Garden."

Fujin answered, "WELCOME."

"Well, see you tomorrow," Cid stated, while walking her to the elevator and helping her on it.

When Fujin stepped off the elevator on the first floor, Raijin was pacing back and forth in front of it.

Fujin said, "RAGE!" Raijin glanced up from his pacing. "You're here at last! It's dinnertime, no da. I'm starving, no da."

Fujin ordered, "GO!" They began walking down the staircase.

Raijin asked, as he and Fujin reached the first floor and began walking toward the cafeteria corridor, "What's it like working for Cid? Is it weird, no da?"

Fujin agreed, "WEIRD," as they began walking down the corridor toward the cafeteria.

Raijin continued, "And what's with Seifer? He's acting strange, no da. He actually went to class this afternoon, no da."

Fujin replied, "BIZZARE!"

Raijin and Fujin entered the cafeteria and joined the line of people waiting to be served. 


	6. Once Again Chapter Six

One Again

Chapter Six

_Escape From Deling_

Quistis's Surprise

Kasumi Comes Home

Several hours later, Squall and Quistis were curled up sleeping on the opposite ends of Quistis's bed. They had decided that they might have to leave Deling City suddenly so they should acquire some sleep, just in case.

The moment the gentle knock touched the door, Squall was instantly awake. He touched Quistis waking her up and motioned for her to remain silent. He quickly crossed the room on cat-like feet not making a sound. Squall cracked the door open to see General Caraway waiting in the hall. He pulled the door open so the General could enter.

The General stepped into the center of the room and commented, "Well, my _ niece _ keeps appearing in the oddest places."

"Sorry, General" Squall apologized, "But it was of the utmost importance to us that we identified the President."

General Caraway replied, "And now I suppose you know who he is?"

"Yes, we do," Squall answered. "Squall!" Quistis protested.

Squall made a shooing motion with his hand. He turned to Quistis and explained, "The General has been honest with us. We are going to be honest with him. General, you might want to sit down. This may take a little while."

As General Caraway sat in the one chair in the room, Squall paced while he told him the story of the Lengendary SeeD. After Squall was finished, the General asked, "And you're absolutely positive that this is the same man?"

"Without a doubt" Quistis responded.

The General stroked his chin and said thoughtfully, "Well, that would explain a great deal. I told you his battle tactics and fighting skills are second to none. I wonder where he's been all these years. I would like to thank you for sharing this information with me. Anything that affords me an edge with this man might save me in the long run."

Squall asked, "General, is there anything you can tell us concerning the conversation you had with the President?"

General Caraway stood up. "I can only say it was about the Missile Base. Apparently my _ need to know _ was upgraded." The General took a step toward Squall and held his hand out to Squall, who shook it. "Now I must not only bid you good night, but also goodbye because I'm off tomorrow on my reassignment. Please take care of Rinoa."

Quistis responded, "Of course! And thank you for everything."

Squall asked, "General, have you ever considered defecting?"

General Caraway appeared puzzled. "To Esthar, no."

Squall explained, "Not to Esthar...to us! We could certainly use your strength, intelligence and experience."

General Caraway slightly cocked his head. "I'll keep it in mind, son. Keep safe, the two of you." With that General Caraway turned and left the room closing the door behind him. Squall immediately crossed the room and locked the door. Squall turned and looked at Quistis. "Well?"

Quistis commented, "It's too bad he couldn't tell us where the Missile Base is."

"Ah, but he did" Squall insisted. "Do you remember the first day we were here and he told us he was going to be reassigned to the Grandidi Forest?"

Quistis nodded and then a light of comprehension entered her eyes. "And he just said that his need to know had just been upgraded. Squall, that means," Quistis said excitedly, "that the Missile Base -."

"Is somewhere around Trabia" Squall said finishing her thought.

Quistis worriedly replied, "Oh, I hope we can get word to Trabia Garden in time before they just stumble onto it."

Squall echoed, "Let's hope so."

* * *

After sleeping for three more hours in their respective bedrooms, Squall and Quistis reconvened in her room to discuss their escape plans. Quistis asked as per usual, "Any ideas, Squall?"

"Yes," he answered. "But you're not going to like them."

Quistis interjected, "I always hate it when you say that."

Squall continued, "We should separate. You should leave on the-."

"No, Squall!" Quistis interrupted.

"Let me finish" Squall insisted. "They're looking for me and you, Quistis. In other words, a young man and a young woman traveling together, they will not be expecting us to separate therefore we separate. You will take the train. I don't foresee any way that someone is going to interfere with a schoolgirl on her way to East Academy."

Quistis echoed puzzled, "East Academy?"

"Yes, East Academy" Squall repeated patiently. "At some point after we're gone, they're going to figure out that we left. Do you think they're just going to let us walk away? No, I don't. I think they'll start running sweeps everywhere. If we're stranded in Timber or Dollet, we'll be sitting ducks. East Academy is considered an open city despite being presently under Galbadian control. There is a major university there. We will have no problem fitting in and, in case of trouble, there are a number of escape routes out of the city."

"Okay, Squall. You've convinced me. If I'm taking the train and by the way where I am taking the train to? There is no train to East Academy from here."

Squall answered, "You're taking the train to the Monterosa Plateau in West Galbadia. I will meet you there. I'm renting a car and driving over to the Vaulny Canyon Forest that we passed through on our way to Galbadia Garden."

"Squall!" Quistis warned, "That forest can be very dangerous for just one person to try to pass through." 

"No worries, mate" Squall quipped with a grin. "I think Mr. _ Diablos _ and Mr. _ Bahamut _ will have something to say about it."

Quistis stated, "You've gotten it all worked out again, Squall. I'm beginning to think you're the one who should have been the instructor."

"Yeah, right" Squall said ducking his head.

* * *

Squall and Quistis emerged from the door leading outside to the streets of Deling City after coming up the ladder from the sewers. It was early morning and would still be dark for several hours.

Quistis turned to Squall and commented, "Under the cover of the night, eh Squall?"

Squall grinned and replied, "That's right, Quisty. Let's go."

Squall walked her down to near the train station and then stood across the street and watched her walk up the long staircase leading to the boarding platform. He hoped everything went well for her. After she disappeared from view, he walked down the street toward the Rent-A-Car business on the outskirts of Deling City.

Squall hadn't informed Quistis of his concern that possibly the Galbadian Government would have temporarily closed down the rental car business, because he didn't want to cause her needless worry. He had worked out a contingency plan of his own that involved his also taking the train, but an hour later after Quistis boarded. So he was relieved when he saw the bright lights of the Rent-A-Car sign. He rented the car without any difficulty, using his false I.D. and had to place a large deposit down on the car, which he did gladly. By the time he turned the car's headlights on high and roared down the main thoroughfare out of town, he was glad he was putting the lights of Deling City behind him.

* * *

Quistis waited in the ticket line, bought her ticket for West Galbadia using her false I.D. and now stood in the boarding line without incident. Blushing slightly from remembering Squall's directive, she removed her backpack from her back and held it with her arms in front of her chest.

She surreptitiously took small glances at her surroundings seeing many Galbadian soldiers around each of the boarding gates and a number of official appearing men, who were not wearing uniforms, that were probably members of the Galbadian Secret Police.

Squall was right again, Quistis realized. If they had stood here together - disguises or not - they would have been pulled out of line, interrogated somewhere and probably discovered.

The train Quistis was waiting for finally pulled into the station and the boarding line began to move. As Quistis neared the front of the line she noted, with mounting terror, that the Galbadian soldier, next to the ticket-taking conductor, was going through people's bags and suitcases before allowing them to board. If she had to open her backpack and display _ Save the Queen, _ she was as good as arrested!

As the line continued to move, Quistis quickly formulated a plan in which she would cause her short skirt to plummet to the ground hoping to cause enough confusion after to avoid having to open her backpack. She made her preparations accordingly. When Quistis finally reached the front of the line and handed the conductor her ticket with her right hand, the Galbadian soldier stepped forward and ordered, "Open that backpack." Quistis was holding her backpack in her left hand and, as she lowered it to the ground, she pulled her belt, which she had already unbuckled, through her schoolgirl uniform's skirt belt loops causing the skirt to plunge to the ground. Unfortunately her plan went slightly awry as the weight of her skirt and belt caused her sheer panties to also plummet to the ground leaving her naked from the waist down!

Shocked and panicked, Quistis attempted to shield the lower half of her body as best she could, but somehow managed to remain in her _ role _ as she shrieked in a high pitched voice, "Oh! You yucky pervert! You didn't say anything about a strip search. What could I possibly be hiding under my skirt and panties?!" Heads were turning towards her from all around the train station. The Galbadian soldier backed up in confusion with his arms held straight out from his body as if to prove he hadn't touched her.

The conductor handed Quistis her now punched ticket and false I.D., noted with a slight smirk her _ most secret spot _ and long bare legs and directed, "You may pass."

Later sitting in the back of the day coach in a mostly empty car, because traffic to West Galbadia was never heavy during the week, Quistis breathed a sigh of relief. Her plan had worked! But she sincerely hoped that Squall never heard about this.

* * *

As Cid sat down at his desk with his first cup of coffee of the morning, he couldn't help but notice that Fujin was already at her desk.

He greeted her. "Good Morning, Fujin."

"MORNING" she echoed.

Cid further continued, "You don't have to be at your desk for another hour when our morning staff meeting begins."

"REALIZE," explained Fujin.

"Then why are you here?" Cid couldn't help but ask.

"LIKE!" exclaimed Fujin, nodding at him.

Cid slightly grinned to himself and nodded back.

Suddenly the elevator arrived at the third floor and Xu burst out excitedly and headed toward Cid, but stopped when she realized Fujin was sitting at her desk. "Fujin?" she asked, "Why are you here so early?"

Cid interrupted, "We've already been through that, Xu."

Xu turned her attention back to Cid and said in a more controlled manner than when she first burst into the room, "Kasumi's back from Deling City with some messages from Squall and Quistis. Should I bring her up?"

Cid directed with an impish grin, "Make it so."

As soon as Xu stepped off the elevator with Kasumi, Cid stood up and declared, "Welcome back, Kasumi. Come sit down at the table."

After everybody, including Fujin, was seated at the table, Kasumi began to relate the occurrences she had experienced since leaving the Garden on her initial assignment. It took her the better part of an hour to recount the entire episode.

When she was finished, Cid exclaimed, "Wow! That's a lot to chew on. So they really think it might be Mamoru?"

"Who?" Kasumi asked.

"The Legendary SeeD," Cid explained, "That's his name." Cid nodded toward Xu. "Do you have any questions for Kasumi? No, all right. Kasumi, you can be excused for right now. Go get some breakfast and a hot shower. Go see your friends and, when we know exactly how we're going to proceed, we'll page you over the intercom, okay?"

Cid added, "And Kasumi" as Kasumi stood up from the table to leave, "You did very well making it back here. We're all very proud of you."

Tears began to form in Kasumi's eyes and she ducked her head quickly and mumbled "Thank you."

After Kasumi had gotten on the elevator, Cid turned to Xu and Fujin and asked, "What are we going to do?"

Xu suggested, "Maybe we should try to approach this in a logical order. First of all, I think we should send Selphie and Zell immediately to Esthar on the Ragnarok and deliver Squall's message to Laguna. We'll tell them to return as quickly as possible, because they'll probably be needed in other areas. We'll need to decide if we're going to risk compromising Squall and Quistis's position in Deling City by going in with the Ragnarok and attempting to help them escape or if we should leave it to them to escape themselves, because it sounds as if, presently, Deling City is shut down tight searching for them."

Xu continued, "Now as far as this thing concerning there being a Galbadian spy in the Garden, this needs to stay in this room until we decide the proper way to approach it." Xu finished the statement by staring at Fujin who replied, "UNDERSTOOD!"

"Good," Xu responded. "We need to send Kasumi and two other SeeDs back to Timber. We can drop them off from the Garden on the outskirts of Timber on our way to Trabia."

Cid questioned, "But what if Squall and Quistis manage to escape Deling City and return to Balamb? Shouldn't we stay here?"

Xu explained, "There are two answers to that. The most important is Squall's message mentioned that General Caraway was being reassigned to the Grandidi Forest. That probably means the Galbadian Army is forming their new front in Trabia. I think it's imperative that we travel there to protect Trabia Garden if anything comes of it. And we can leave the Ragnarok here guarded by some SeeDs in case Squall and Quistis return. Quistis can pilot it, if need be."

"That's well thought out!" exclaimed Cid. "YES!" echoed Fujin.

"Thank you," Xu achknowledged the compliment while looking strangely at Fujin. "Now as I was saying we should send Kasumi and two other SeeDs to search for Brian, Shinji and Mishima."

"Who's Mishima?" Cid asked. "I can't seem to place her."

"Oh, you know her Cid," Xu explained. "She always wear a midriff white blouse, a short leather skirt with suspenders and has very large - you know -," said Xu while she held out her cupped hands in front of her chest.

Cid asked, "Hands?"

Xu replied, "Oh, never mind Cid, it's not important" while shooting a glance at Fujin, who nodded and grinned.

Cid declared, "I think we should send Selphie and Zell with Kasumi. It's imperative that we find out what has happened to our people and they're the best we have right now."

Fujin responded, "AGREED." 

Xu excitedly replied, "Now wait a minute, Fujin! I think it's more than enough that we have you sit in to take notes if there's something that needs to be written down, but I don't think we need your feedback on staff decisions."

Cid protested, "You're out of line, Xu. Fujin and I have had some long conversations and I appreciate her opinion."

Xu appeared completely befuddled. "Conversations with Fujin?"

Fujin replied, "YES."

Xu turned to Fujin. "Okay, I stand corrected and I apologize." "ACCEPTED" Fujin responded.

Xu turned back to Cid. "Okay, we'll send Selphie and Zell with Kasumi. We'll inform them after they return from Esthar. Are you ready to send for them, Cid?"

Cid arose from the table and, crossing to his desk, he leaned down and pressed his intercom button.

* * *

Zell, Selphie, Irvine, Rinoa and Akane were sitting at a table eating breakfast, when Kasumi burst into the cafeteria heading straight toward their table. Irvine called out, "Hey slow down, Kasumi! You're gonna have a stroke." Kasumi grabbed a chair and sat down.

Irvine asked, "What's up, Kasumi? Come to think of it, I haven't seen you for over a week."

Kasumi took a moment to catch her breath, before she explained that she had been on a mission to Timber. "But that's not the big news! I saw Squall and Quistis in Deling City!"

Kasumi sat back in her chair enjoying everyone's startled expressions. Rinoa, leaping up from her chair, exclaimed, "Tell me, Kasumi! Are they okay?"

Selphie protested quietly, "Rinoa, sit down. You're making a spectacle of yourself again." Rinoa blushed and quickly reseated herself.

Kasumi informed her. "They were fine! And guess what? They think they found out who the new President of Galbadia is!"

Akane leaned forward and asked, "Is Squall coming home?"

Kasumi looked at her strangely and asked, "I'm sorry, who are you?"

Irvine shouted out, "Wait a minute, everybody! I want to know who the President is."

Kasumi explained, "Oh, I can't tell you that. This is all very hush-hush."

Selphie introduced Akane to Kasumi, who nodded and expressed, "Pleased to meet you, I'm sure and to answer your question - Yes, I think he and Quistis are preparing to leave Deling City momentarily. In fact, they may have already left."

Rinoa, whose complexion appeared ash white, whispered "Thank Hyne."

Selphie, glancing over to Rinoa, felt pangs of sympathy for her and reached out with her hand and placed it over one of Rinoa's and said, "It'll be fine, Rinoa. You know Squall knows how to take care of himself."

"Yeah, right on!" chimed in Zell.

Suddenly the intercom clicked on and practically everyone in the cafeteria fell silent in anticipation of the upcoming message. "Zell and Selphie, please report to Headmaster Cid's office immediately."

Zell leaped up from his chair and exclaimed, "Hot damn! Some action at last!" while pounding his left fist into his right hand. As Zell and Selphie were hurrying from the cafeteria, they could hear Irvine asking, "Do you want me to walk you to class, Akane?"

* * *

On his way to the Vaulny Canyon Forest, Squall drove off road as much as possible to avoid any complications arising from Galbadian Army vehicles or other government officals. As he drove along at a reasonable rate of speed, because he didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention to himself and he had plenty of time to meet Quistis arriving on the train, his thoughts drifted back to Garden and then Rinoa and finally to the Legendary SeeD and whether he would end up having to fight him. He wondered how he could possibly defeat the best gunblade specialist Cid had ever seen.

Squall gave his head a shake, slightly disgusted with himself for projecting things in the future that may never happen. He never worried about the future - He had too much to worry about in the present, he thought ruefully.

As he neared East Academy, he turned left over the bridge and parked on the Monterosa Plateau very close to the forest. As he locked the car, he took a good look around and, perceiving nothing out of the ordinary, began to walk through the forest.

Squall had crossed half way through the forest, when two Anacondaurs suddenly sprang across his path. Squall realized that although the option of fleeing was always available it wasn't wise against these giant snakes because of the possibility of their releasing a poisonous mist that could cause severe damage before he could escape. Eschewing the use of his GF's despite what he told Quistis, he leaped forward and after two quick hits with _ Lion Heart _ the first Anacondaur lay dead. The giant snake's partner took exception to that and laid a good smack along the side of Squall's head which he ignored while leaping forward again and killing it also.

When he stepped out of the forest and noticed the train hadn't arrived yet, Squall was indecisive concerning how to continue. The Monterosa Plateau was basically flat and afforded a view for miles. He could see Galbadian Army trucks blocking the main intersections of many of the highways in the area and was relieved he had traveled the route he did, but he was concerned at this point to not call attention to himself and there was literally no where to hide. He purposely didn't want to enter the train station early because he realized it would be full of Galbadian soldiers, some waiting to be transported back to Deling City and some on duty looking for him and Quistis. He also assumed there would be Galbadian Secret Police lurking about. The problem became academic, as Squall watched the train from Deling City arriving from a mile away. He would just have to bite the bullet and hope he could mingle with the crowd that would step down from the train. He could not afford to have Quistis standing around attracting unwanted attention.

As Squall entered the train station, he noticed that a Galbadian soldier was standing at the head of a short boarding line for a train that was preparing to depart and was searching the carry-on bags and suitcases of the people waiting in line. Squall became instantly frightened about Quistis and whether she had even been able to board the train in Deling City or had been immediately arrested. "Damn," he thought, "Maybe we should have stayed together. At least we might have had a chance of fighing our way clear."

Consequently Squall felt a great sense of relief when he observed Quistis emerging from the train, but the station had an even greater amount of soldiers than even he had anticipated and there was no crowd to speak of. Quistis had paused immediately after exiting the train instead of advancing purposefully down the long staircase and it was only a matter of time before she would be approached by a soldier and questioned extensively.

Taking the bull by the horns, Squall bounded up the long staircase two steps at a time and shouted "Hey Sis! Come on, Dad's waiting!"

He reached the top of the staircase quickly and, noticing with a slight grin that Quistis was carrying her backpack in front of her chest as he had instructed her to, he gave a quick brotherly kiss on the cheek, took her backpack in his right hand and transferring his guitar case to his right hand, he grabbed her upper right arm with his left hand and escorted her briskly down toward the floor.

"Sis?" Quistis smiled.

Squall cautioned, "Be serious. We're not out of the woods yet." Once they reached the station floor, Squall told her, "Glance around for any Galbadian Secret Police." After exiting the station Quistis said, "I think we're safe. I didn't see any."

But Quistis was wrong. Immediately following their leaving the station, a man dressed in a black suit stepped from around a corner and stared intently at where their backs had been a second before.

* * *

Once they had stepped into the protection of the forest, Squall handed Quistis her backpack.

"Welcome to West Galbadia, Quisty" he said softly. "It was really good to see you step down off that train. However did you avoid having to open your backpack in Deling City?"

Quistis flushed uncomfortably while slipping on her backpack and said, "Oh, I'll tell you another time. Shouldn't we get going?"

Squall noticing her embarrassment decided to not pursue the subject. "Not yet" he answered. "Give me your false I.D." Quistis handed it to Squall with obvious puzzlement on her face and had even more so as Squall took it and cut it into tiny pieces with an incredibly sharp penknife that he brought out of his back pocket. He then took his false I.D. and performed the same procedure. He knelt down and dug out a small depression in the forest floor and buried the pieces making certain to place leaves and dirt back over the hole.

"Squall!" Quistis protested.

"Wait Quistis, I'll explain," Squall directed. He next opened his guitar case, took out the guitar and lifted up the false bottom and set it on the ground. After removing _ Lion Heart _ he pulled out two different false I.D. along with matching birth certificates for he and Quistis. Handing Quistis hers, he took his and placed them in his wallet that he wore on a chain attached to his belt.

Quistis exclaimed in a surprised voice, "These are in a different name!"

Squall nodded. "Xu's idea. To prevent us from leaving a paper trail, if we had to go somewhere else after Deling City."

Quistis smiled and said admiringly, "That Xu, she thinks of everything."

Squall reassembled his guitar case and stood up. "Let's go. We can talk in the car." 


	7. Once Again Chapter Seven

Once Again

Chapter Seven

_Timber Arrival_

Edea Gets the Message

Two New University Students

Zell's Crush

Akane's New Beau

Zell and Selphie hurriedly returned to the Garden from the Ragnarok. All had gone extremely well in Esthar, although there had been some difficulty with deciding who was going to pilot the Ragnarok so Selphie flew there and Zell on the return trip. Selphie hoped she could remember every one of the kind words that Laguna uttered about Squall and his performance on his latest mission, so she could repeat it to Squall.

Entering the Garden, Selphie and Zell headed straight to the elevator and up to Cid's office. When they arrived on the third floor, they stepped off the elevator. Cid was standing by his locked file cabinets that filled almost an entire wall. He returned a file to a cabinet and locked it. He asked, "Fujin, would please page Kasumi over the intercom?"

Fujin stood up from her desk, crossed to Cid's desk, pressed the intercom button and declared, "KASUMI!" and clicked the intercom off. Xu, who was seated at the table, stared at Fujin and shook her head in disbelief.

Nonetheless Kasumi arrived off the elevator less than five minutes later. Cid invited all to be seated at the long conference table. Xu briefly outlined, for Selphie and Zell, the orginal mission the four SeeDs had been assigned and what Selphie and Zell now needed to accomplish in traveling to Timber and locating the missing SeeDs.

Xu elaborated, "We have no agenda we're assigning you. We trust your judgment in the field completely and realize if anyone can help Kasumi locate them it will be you two."

Sephie said, "Thank you for your trust in us" and nodded at Xu and Cid.

Zell asked, "Who are the three missing SeeDs again?"

Xu answered, "Brian, Shinji and Mishima."

"Mishima" Zell echoed almost wistfully. Selphie swore to herself that Zell had a twinkle in his eye.

"When shall we leave?" asked Selphie. Xu explained, "We want you to arrive as soon as possible, so we'll drop you on our way to Trabia Garden."

"Trabia Garden!" Selphie thought. "Just my dumb luck. They're finally going back to Trabia Garden and I won't be here. Oh well, this mission is a lot more important than just seeing my old friends again."

Xu further explained, "We have to keep the Ragnarok here at Balamb, in case Squall and Quistis return when we're gone."

Selphie joked, "Well, just be sure to leave a note on the steering wheel."

Xu asked, "Cid, are we ready to leave?"

Cid nodded, stood up from the table, crossed to his desk and pressed the intercom button and began speaking, "This is Headmaster Cid. The Garden is preparing to depart. Everyone report to their assigned duty stations immediately."

* * *

After dropping Kasumi, Zell and Selphie off on Mandy Beach, Xu directed Nida to travel to Trabia the long way, while stopping at the orphanage in Centra. After the Garden had landed in Centra, Xu took the elevator down to Cid's office and asked, "Cid, may I borrow Fujin for a little while?"

Cid looked up from his constant paperwork. "Why, certainly Xu. Is there anything I should know about?"

Xu reassured him. "Nothing that I can't handle."

As Xu and Fujin rode down on the elevator to the second floor, Fujin stood stoically staring ahead. When they stepped off the elevator, Xu asked, "Will you please go and get Seifer out of class and bring him here?"

Fujin arched one eyebrow and nodded. Fujin returned within five minutes with Seifer, who appeared completely mystified.

Xu greeted, "Good Morning, Seifer."

Seifer nodded politely. "Good Morning, Commander." Beside him, Fujin's eyes grew wide in surprise at his respectful demeanor.

Turning to Fujin to also include her in the conversation, Xu reported, "I want you two to accompany me to visit Edea." Seifer visibly blanched remembering the last time he had seen Edea.

* * *

Since Nida had landed the Garden at the Cape of Good Hope in Centra, Xu, Seifer and Fujin exited and headed for the orphanage. They were immediately beset by Fly Monsters. Xu rushed forward swinging her weapon that resembled a bola, but had spikes attached to the balls, and killed one of them. One swing from Seifer with his _ Hyperion _ finished the other one.

They entered the main path of the orphanage. There was a demolished building on the right and the flower field lay to the left. Edea suddenly appeared at the front door.

"Why Xu, what a surprise! Is something wrong with Cid?"

Striding up the path, Xu assured her Cid was fine and went on to say, "I've come to visit you, because I think you're the one who needs some help, Edea."

Edea said with a laugh, "Same old Xu! Direct and honest to a fault, well come."

As Seifer approached, Edea greeted him. "Hello, Seifer." Seifer nodded, but remained silent. Edea turned to Fujin and said, "Welcome Fujin. I never thought I'd ever see you again having anything to do with the Garden." Fujin answered, "IRONIC." Edea laughed. "Yes it is." Turning back to Seifer, Edea spoke hoping to help ease his obvious discomfort. "There's no need to be shy and afraid of what I think, Seifer. I've known you most of your life."

Seifer tersely replied, "Hello Matron."

Edea returned her attention to Xu and directed, "Come in. We'll go to my bedroom. It's the only room that has chairs." Edea led them through two rooms that were badly damaged and had little or no furnishings, but, at least, had walls and a ceiling; they came to the bedroom, in which there was a bed and two old straight back chairs. After Edea offered the chairs and receiving no immediate response, Seifer and Fujin sat down leaving Edea standing in one corner and Xu in the center of the small room by the end of the bed.

"So Xu, don't stand on further ceremony. What is it you wish to say to me?"

"Edea, when you first returned to yourself, you didn't have a worse critic than myself. I felt forgiveness in your case should not have been given so easily, but I came to realize I was wrong through watching you and listening to others. I forgave you. I, your worst critic, forgave you. Everyone else had already forgiven you. It's high time for you to forgive yourself."

Edea asked, "What makes you think I haven't, Xu?"

"This," replied Xu, raising her right arm and sweeping the room with it. "You have remained here in this broken down old ruin and left your husband alone for weeks at a time to run the Garden. It is past time for you to become his wife again."

Tears began to flow down Edea's face and she had difficulty in speaking. "What you say, Xu, is entirely correct, but what you don't say is how to do this thing - how to forgive myself for the unspeakable crimes I committed."

Xu started to speak, "Bu-."

Edea interrupted, "Let me finish. I know what you're going to say - that I was possessed. Is that a reason or an excuse? That's the question that so bothers me."

Xu replied, "Is your guilt a reason or an excuse for why you don't rejoin your husband? He needs you, Edea! His bedroom is lonely at night."

Again tears began to flow down Edea's face and she flushed slightly.

Xu continued, "I'm not a psychiatrist, but I can tell you this. If you want to learn to forgive yourself, you don't do it here by yourself among these battered old buildings. You do it by your husband's side and you do it among your friends and your _ children. _ Now that's all I came here to say. Please think about it. We will lay over here tomorrow and then we have to leave for Trabia. I hope to see you again, Edea, and I hope it will be very soon."

With that, Xu signaled Seifer and Fujin that it was time to leave and they silently left Edea weeping in the room and returned to the Garden.

* * *

After passing through the forest and reaching the car without incident, Squall and Quistis were now riding down the highway towards East Academy. Quistis turned to Squall and asked, "What now?"

Squall answered with a slight smile, "Now dear sister, we are going to enter East Academy University."

Quistis asked, "What are you talking about now? Aren't we trying to get back to Garden? And what's with this sister stuff?"

Squall held up his right hand. "Slow down please. Of course we're trying to get back to Garden, but the closer we get to Timber the harder it's going to be to escape detection at this time. We need to lay low until some of this heat dies down which it will eventually. East Academy is the logical place and attending the University is the logical thing for us to do, if we're staying in East Academy. There will be many young people around the University and it will make it more difficult for the Galbadian Secret Police to locate us."

Quistis pointed out, "But Squall, we need transcripts to get into the University. We can't just go waltzing up there and start school."

Squall reached under the front seat of the rental and pulled out some documents that he had earlier liberated from underneath the false bottom in his guitar case and handed them to Quistis.

Qustis exclaimed shocked, "These are acceptance papers and Ronin School transcripts! How is this possible? We left the Garden on a moment's notice. There was no time for anyone to do this."

Squall grinned saying, "Mind boggling, isn't it? Apparently this is something Xu prepared a while back just in case something like our assignment ever came up and to answer your other question - Yes, we are supposed to be brother and sister. It'll make it a lot easier to explain why we're entering together and also to explain to other students why they see us together all the time."

Quistis shook her head in amazement. "That Xu!"

* * *

After the Garden had dropped off Zell, Selphie and Kasumi on Mandy Beach on the outskirts of Timber and lifted up almost immediately, Selphie suggested, "We might as well get going. It's going to be a long walk."

Almost immediately after leaving the beach area, they were attacked by two Thrustaevis. Selphie noticed, with satisfaction and some relief, that Kasumi immediately sprang into action by throwing her _ Rising Sun _ and killing one of them. Zell, simultaneously, pummeled the second one with his fists killing it immediately.

The first thing Selphie noticed, when they entered Timber, was the large amount of Galbadian soldiers present in the streets. It appeared to her to be worse than after Rinoa's ill-fated attempt to abduct Vinzer Deling.

"Wow," Zell proclaimed, "Things are serious here!"

Kasumi agreed, "Yes, we need to stay very low profile, so we don't attract much attention. Maybe we should separate right now and meet at Sayoko's house." Zell and Selphie quickly agreed and Kasumi immediately set out down the main thoroughfare, while Zell interested himself in the menu posted in the window of _ Hamptons, _ the most popular restaurant in Timber.

Selphie sauntered past Zell, as if she were out on a morning stroll, and glanced into the open doors of the hotel as she passed by and saw the lobby was full of Galbadian soldiers. As she walked across the railroad trestle that spanned three lines of tracks, she noticed that not one train was moving. "If the trains are shut down, it certainly is going to complicate our getting to Dollet," Selphie thought.

Noticing that strange little man, who always walked on the trestle searching for Rinoa, Selphie approached him and asked, "Is the train service shut down?" As he nodded his head yes, he asked, "Where's Rinoa? Is she in Timber?" and when Selphie told him no, he immediately ran off.

"He certainly is a weird little dude," Selphie thought to herself. "A Rinoa _ groupie" _ she giggled aloud.

As Zell turned and started down the street following about five minutes behind Selphie, he began to muse of Mishima. Boy, did he use to have a crush on her! Mishima and Zell were in many of the same classes together, although she was actually a few months ahead of him in graduating. Zell remembered when he and two close friends at the time snuck into Headmaster Cid's office and looked into Mishima's file to discover her measurements listed in the medical history section of the file, because there had been such wild speculation concerning this among the male upper-classmen. Zell could still recite her measurements - 91cm - 61cm - 91cm, just an awesome figure and pretty too! Zell was also very attracted to her, because their weapons and fighting techniques were very similar. But Zell was always shy. "She probably never even knew I existed," Zell thought ruefully to himself while walking down the streets of Timber.

As Zell walked into the lower end of the main part of town, he was surprised to discover Selphie talking to someone in front of the Timber Pet Shop. It appeared to Zell that Selphie was conversing with an old man, wearing a religious robe, who appeared badly bent by age. Zell became uncertain whether he should approach Selphie and this strange old man or walk by, as if he didn't know her, until she waved him over.

Zell approached Selphie who said softly but with a large grin on her face, "We've found a friend!"

Zell was completely perplexed until Selphie explained "It's Zone!"

"Zone's here!" Zell thought excitedly. "Maybe he knows something that will help us." Zell decided, rather than standing there turning their conversation into a crowd, he should continue walking downtown. He knew Selphie would catch up later.

Zone and Selphie continued with their previous conversation. "So like I was saying, Watts and I had to separate when we fled town because of the massive sweep by the Galbadian Secret Police. I just came back this morning and I don't have a clue as to the whereabouts of Watts or any of your comrades."

Selphie responded, "We're headed down to Sayoko's. We'll tell her you're back. Maybe she knows where Watts is."

"Thanks, Selphie," Zone said enthusiastically, "I really appreciate that. I'll be around the train station, if you need to contact me."

"By the way, Selphie" Zone said as Selphie began to turn away to walk down the street. "How is the princess doing?"

Selphie thought, "The princess! Another Rinoa groupie!" Selphie replied "She's doing fine, Zone. In fact, she's started taking classes in preparation of becoming a SeeD."

"Oh, isn't that something!" Zone exclaimed, his face wreathed in happiness.

"Uh, Selphie" Zone began to say and then stopped. Selphie thought to herself, "Now what?"

Zone began again. "Do you think...I mean when everything starts to calm down a little...uh, maybe we could...you know...uh, go out to dinner sometime?"

Selphie thought, "So that's it!" and had to restrain herself from laughing out loud.

"Why certainly Zone" Selphie replied offhandedly. "I'm certain that can be arranged."

Zone practically shouted "That's wonderful, Selphie! I'll be in touch!" and he rushed away down the street.

"Now what have I gotten myself into?" Selphie wondered.

* * *

Zell continued walking downtown until he came to the _ Timber Maniacs _ Building next door to the Forest Fox leader, Sayoko's home. Zell quickly approached Sayoko's door and softly rapped on it. It was opened almost immediately. They must have been watching him, Zell thought. The leader's daughter, Ayeka, waved Zell in silently and glancing around the street she quickly shut the door.

"They're upstairs," she explained laconically.

Zell bounded up the stairs two at a time and looked in the first bedroom - empty - and then in the second one where he saw Sayoko and then noticed Kasumi talking to a young woman in the corner of the room. Zell's heart skipped a beat. It was Mishima!

"Mishima's alright!" Zell thought happily.

Mishima, noticing Zell for the first time since he had entered the room, stepped forward. "Zell!" she exclaimed happily. "How wonderful to see to see you again!" she expressed while continuing to move toward him until she paused and embraced him in a big hug.

"Oh Great Hyne!" Zell thought, "I'm going to die."

Before Zell could respond in any manner, Selphie bustled into the room. "Alright" she demanded with a grin, "What's going on here?" Selphie continued, "Unhand him, wench! He is spoken for."

Mishima dropped her arms and said "Good to see you, Selphie."

Selphie offered another smile and asked if she knew where any of the other SeeDs were.

Mishima answered in the negative. Zell continued standing there with a vacuous smile frozen on his face.

Kasumi suggested from the corner, "We need to sit down and discuss what we're going to do."

Selphie concurred, "That's a good idea" and, then turning to Sayoko, explained "Zone's back in town."

Sayoko replied, "I'll leave you to your planning. I'm going to look up Zone," she said while returning to the lower floor.

"Well, let's get started" Selphie directed.

* * *

The town of East Academy lies halfway between the towns of Timber and Dollet and was located in the Vaulny Canyon.

East Academy University was a well respected insitution of higher learning. In fact, outside of the Garden, it was considered to be by many the best education possible. The actual city of the same name expanded around the University after the school had been established.

Driving up the main thoroughfare leading into East Academy, Squall informed Quistis "We'll need to ditch this car in the city as far away from the University as we can."

Quistis questioned, "Why not leave it somewhere outside the city?"

"Because we would look very conspicuous walking for miles into town."

"If and when they find the car" Squall explained, "at least it won't be around the University, even though I think they'll assume whoever left the car will be at the University, it will make it more difficult for them to track us."

Squall drove past the hotels that dotted the highway when first entering East Academy. He took the first left and, when he approached a street with a number of shops, he turned right and parked the car.

"Squall, are we stopping for some reason?"

"Yes," Squall explained, "What would you think if you saw students enter the University only carrying a backpack and a guitar case?"

"Oh, I get it" Quistis replied.

After about an hour Squall and Quistis were finished shopping for their new clothes and two suitcases. In fact, Squall made his purchases in the first five minutes and spent the rest of the time trailing behind Quistis, watching her choose different outfits and trying them on and asking his opinion. "Good grief!" Squall thought, "She's worse than Rinoa."

At long last, in Squall's opinion, they were back on the road. Squall made a U-turn and returned almost to the spot, where they had entered East Academy, searching for an appropriate site to park the car. He finally decided on parking in a back parking lot of a fairly large hotel. They vacated the car with their possessions and thoroughly searched it for anything they might have forgotten or might be incriminating. Squall locked the car, threw the keys in a small pond that lay beside the parking lot, placed his guitar case over his shoulder using the strap he had attached to it, picked up both suitcases, one in each hand and said "Come on, Quisty" and set off down the road towards the bus stop whistling as he walked.

The bus they boarded not only traveled to the University front gate; it also went to a number of places on the University property. Squall and Quistis, from their vantage point high atop a double decker bus, were able to distinguish where the dormitories were located. They rode past the many different colleges the University had to offer and finally arrived at the Main Administration Building.

Squall hopped down from the bus and, after setting the suitcases and his guitar case down, helped Quistis step down. As the bus roared away, Quistis commented, "I hope this goes quickly. I'm hungry."

"Uh, huh" Squall said, "What else is new?"

Quistis made as if she was going to slap him. Squall ducked away.

"We better get going" Squall said picking up his guitar case and the suitcases. "It's getting fairly late in the afternoon. I'd hate to be stuck outside all night."

"Then let's go!" Quistis exclaimed, giving him a slight push.

"You're asking for it" Squall joked.

"Yes, I am. But when am I going to get it?" Quistis asked seriously.

Squall was taken aback at how quickly things had turned serious. "I'm sorry, Quisty."

"I know, Squall, I know," she said softly.

* * *

Quistis was in luck. An hour later she and Squall were sitting in a coffee shop much like the one in the Garden except it was larger. Their admission to the University had proceeded smoothly and quickly. Squall and Quistis were now officially students at East Academy University, but, of course not under their real names.

Quistis glanced up from her voracious eating and asked, "What's your new name again?"

Squall patiently answered "Yuji."

"And mine is Madoka" said Quistis brightly.

"Uh, huh," Squall replied dryly. "Eat up," he directed, "I want to get to the dormitories and get settled for the evening."

"Yes sir!" Quistis snapped off a SeeD salute! Her face immediately fell as she realized her blunder. "Oh, Squall. I'm so sorry, it was automatic" Quistis apologized while taking a quick glance about the coffee shop to discover if anyone was watching. She felt somewhat relieved when it didn't appear there was.

Squall stood up and picked up the bill, along with his guitar case and the two suitcases and strode toward the front of the shop to pay for their meal, while Quistis quietly glided behind him.

Once they were outside Quistis said, "Squall, I-."

Squall interrupted, "Let it go. No harm done."

"Thank you, Squall" Quistis spoke softly. "It won't happen again" she promised.

But Squall wasn't certain there was no harm done. He wasn't sure if he was just being overly paranoid or had there been one woman in the corner of the coffee shop, who had displayed an inordinate amount of interest in them, only looking away from them when Squall would meet her eyes?

* * *

Rinoa, Irvine and Akane sat around a table in the coffee shop waiting for dinner hour to arrive. Rinoa asked, while nodding to her right, "Akane, is that the cute boy I saw talking to you in the hall this morning?"

Akane nodded, slightly blushing. Irvine exclaimed, obviously upset, "What?!"

Rinoa continued, "Let's call him over" and, before anyone at the table could protest, she stood and called out, "Hey, yes, you. Come on over and sit down."

The short, fifteen-year-old boy with dark hair and even features, who obviously had been lurking around the perimeter of the area surrounding Akane, quickly arrived at the table. He intoduced himself brightly, "Hi! I'm Arnaz" and held his hand out for Irvine to shake, who limply touched it.

Rinoa introduced, "I'm Rinoa and this is Irvine. Grab a seat" while automatically registering that he might have been short, but he appeared to have a nice build.

After Arnaz seated himself beside Akane, he turned and said, "Good to see you again, Akane. How have you been?"

Akane again blushed and, slightly turning her head looking at the table, replied softly "Fine, Arnaz." Rinoa turned to Irvine and asked happily, "Aren't they so cute together?" causing Arnaz and Akane to both blush furiously. Irvine shook his head in the negative, but declined to comment.

Akane softly pleaded, "Rinoa, please."

Rinoa, who was not to be thwarted, declared "We're laying over at Centra tomorrow for some reason and classes are cancelled. Let's all go to the beach together."

Akane excitedly answered, "That sounds like fun! I'll go." Of course seeing that Akane had agreed, Arnaz immediately acquiesced.

"Rinoa," Irvine replied in a heavy voice, "That's a bad idea. That beach is full of Fastitocalon-F."

Fastitocalon-F were fish that swam in the sand of beaches. They were believed to be a distant member of the shark family. They were quick moving deadly enemies.

"Okay Irvine, then you come along as protection," countered Rinoa.

"I guess I'll have to" Irvine replied in a resigned voice.

"Good! We'll leave in the morning after breakfast!" Rinoa informed them.

Rinoa stood up. "Let's go to dinner, everyone!"

As they were walking through the coffee shop, Irvine sidled next to Akane and asked, "Hey! How'd you like to go to the training center tonight and practice killing some monsters?"

"Oh, wow!" Akane excitedly exclaimed. "That'll be way cool!"

Irvine rejoined, "Good! Then it's a date. Meet me at seven outside of the training center."

Rinoa shook her head and thought, "When the cat's away, the mouse will play." 


	8. Once Again Chapter Eight

Once Again

Chapter Eight

_The Sweetheart_

Squall Makes a Conquest

Xu Makes Amends

Akane's Date

A Surprise Visitor

The Journey to Dollet Begins

At the end of two hours, with a short break for supper served by Rinoa's friend, they had arrived at a decision. Selphie left Zell, Kasumi and Mishima talking among themselves and traveled downstairs to locate the Forest Fox leader. Selphie discovered her sitting by the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee.

As Selphie entered the room, Sayoko held up her cup of coffee as an offer to serve Selphie some. Selphie shook her head. "No, thanks."

Selphie drew up a chair and sat down. "We've come up with our plans" Selphie explained. "We'd like to stay here tonight, so we can get an early start in the morning, if that's alright with you."

"Of course, Selphie" Sayoko quickly replied. "You're always welcome to stay with us, unless the _ heat _ is on so badly that you would be in danger remaining here. Things are bad right now, but not _ that _ bad. They haven't made a sweep in about a week. I'm thinking of having my two sons sent back from Winhill, where I sent them to live with a cousin of mine when the initial crackdown began."

Selphie again thanked her and then explained, "I'm going to remain here in Timber and attempt to work with Zone in locating Watts and Brian, a SeeD who was last seen here in Timber."

Sayoko responded, "I certainly hope your associate is hiding with Watts and hasn't been arrested and placed in the D-District Prison. It's incredibly difficult to get anybody out of there!"

"I know that's right!" Selphie replied, remembering their own experiences in the D-District Prison. "Believe you me," she thought to herself, "you need to do more than just win a Chocobo race to get out of there!"

Selphie continued, "Kasumi, Zell and Mishima are going to Dollet to search for Shinji, another one of our lost comrades. He was last seen in Dollet."

The older woman declared, "That Mishima! She's such a sweetheart."

"Geez!" Selphie thought. "What is it with this girl that everybody loves her so? I just don't get it."

"Well anyway, those are our plans" Selphie explained, while standing up in preparation of returning upstairs.

Sayoko again stated, "You're welcome to stay here as long as you need, Selphie. But please be careful, when you're out in Timber. There are plain clothes Secret Police everywhere in town."

"I will," promised Selphie. "Well, good night" Selphie said heading to the staircase to the second floor. Behind her Sayoko called out "Sleep sweet!"

Selphie didn't know how to respond to that admonishment, but thought to herself, "Sleep sweet? Good grief! Everybody who Rinoa knows in this town is weird."

* * *

A half an hour later, the _ Rising Sun Dormitory _ manager was saying to Squall, "It is very unusual for us to give permission for a young man and woman to share a dormitory apartment, even in the co-ed dorm, but since you state you are brother and sister I guess there is no major problem. May I please see your birth certificates and I.D.'s?"

After studying them for what seemed to Quistis to be an inordinately long time, the dorm manager looked up and said, "Everything appears to be in order" while handing them their documents. "I will have the dorm monitor show you to your room. Excuse me, please."

The dormitory manager leaned down and pushed an intercom button and said, "Will the on-duty dorm monitor please report to my office? Thank you." He swiveled his chair around and began searching for a specific key on a peg board that held hooks for fifty keys. "Ah, there it is" he said while reaching for the keys he was searching for.

He swung around and set two keys on the counter. "You each get a room key," he explained. "But you mustn't lose them. We have no spares to give you, just our master key."

"We'll be careful" Quistis promised while Squall looked on stoically wondering how much longer he would have to wait. He wanted to get to their room! A second later Squall lost his impatience when the door opened and one of the most beautiful young women he had ever seen entered the room.

She possessed long blonde hair, a lean attractive face with a little button nose, and a beautifully sculpted figure with a bust line that promised heavenly delights and long beautifully curved legs and was dressed in a macro mini-skirt so short that her sheer panties were clearly visible.

The dorm manager said, "Ah, Kyoko. Good, you're here. This is Yuji and Madoka. Could you please show them to room 504?"

The young beauty called Kyoko slightly bowed and responded in a velvety voice, "I would be happy to" and reached out and touched Squall on the arm. "I am most pleased to meet you."

Quistis spoke, her eyes blazing sparks of anger because of Squall's passive staring, "We would like to go to our room now! My brother and I are very fatigued!"

Kyoko turned with a slight grin and said, "Of course, follow me please."

Squall began automatically following the twitching behind of Kyoko out the dorm manager's office when Quistis exclaimed, Yuji! What are you doing?! You're forgetting our luggage and your guitar case."

When they were finally in front of room 504, Quistis said very icily, "Thank you so much for your effort."

Kyoko leaned forward toward Squall touching him with her substantial upper body and cooed, "I hope we'll see more of each other real soon, Yuiji."

"Oh, I'm sure you have in mind to see _ all _ of each other" Quistis retorted.

* * *

Once they were safely inside their dorm apartment, Squall and Quistis viewed a green-carpeted, moderately large room with yellow walls. There was two single extra-wide beds, one on each side of the room, two walk-in closets, two large desks with a PC on each and one large easy chair. "Pretty nice," Squall commented.

"Are you speaking of _ that _ girl or the room?" Quistis sarcastically asked.

Squall turned to her and asked, "Is that what all this is about?"

Quistis responded, "What are you talking about?"

"I"m talking about how nasty you were with our guide. We're not here to make enemies, no da."

Quistis's face flushed with anger. "The way I was acting! What about you?!"

"What about me?" Squall innocently asked. "I wasn't doing anything."

"That's right," Quistis agreed. "You were just standing there with your mouth hanging open."

"That girl didn't affect me at all," Squall protested.

"Yeah, right, Squall" Quistis replied sarcastically. "Then why did you forget the suitcases and your guitar case?"

"That was a natural mistake. It had nothing to do with that girl."

"Okay," Quistis conceded, "But what about forgetting to ask about us getting a room on the first floor?"

Squall pressed the palm of his hand against his forehead. "That's right. I did forget about that. I'm sorry, Quisty."

Quistis softened somewhat saying "Apology accepted. So where's the bathroom?" she asked while looking around the room.

"Quistis," Squall explained pedantically, "This is a dorm. There are no individual bathrooms in dorms."

Qustis spun and retorted, "So you're telling me I'll be using a communal shower room in a co-ed dorm?"

Squall grinned. "Uh, huh."

"Squall!" Quistis shouted. "Why did you ask for the co-ed dorm?"

"So I could see that blonde."

Quistis began to slap at him. "Okay, okay," Squall admitted, "I'll tell you." He went on in a serious tone. "I didn't want us separated, if and when an attack comes."

"I can see that" Quistis admitted somewhat mollified.

"Oh, by the way," Squall grinned. "The actual shower rooms and bathrooms aren't co-ed. They're on opposite sides. It's just the main locker room that's co-ed."

Quistis pushed him away playfully. "Okay, smart guy. You go take a look around the campus, while I get ready to take a shower."

As Squall was passing through the doorway he asked, "What was that girl's name? Kyoko, wasn't it?"

* * *

Seifer, Raijin and Fujin were seated at a cafeteria table eating dinner. Seifer had an enormous amount of hot dogs on his plate.

"Hey Seifer!" Raijin pointed out. "You've got too many hot dogs, no da."

Seifer responded, "So have me written up."

Raijin replied, "No da, I don't even know who the disciplinary committee is and, no da, I wouldn't do that to you anyway, no da. I just want some, no da."

Seifer said flatly "Too bad."

"Aw Seifer, don't be that way" Raijin whined and then continued. "So what's this that Fujin was telling me about you kowtowing to Xu? That doesn't sound like you Seifer, no da."

Fujin exclaimed, "RAGE!"

Seifer glanced at Fujin and replied, "It's okay" and then turned to Raijin. "I'll tell you, even though it's none of your business. I lust over Xu. I dream of her at night. I can hardly concentrate in class, because of my desire to ravage her over and over!"

Raijin exclaimed, "Seifer, you must be joking, no da! This can't be true!"

Fujin just smiled. Seifer, finishing the last of his hot dogs, arose and directed "Let's move out, men."

* * *

Rinoa sat in the middle of her bed, dressed in her pajamas even though it was still quite early in the evening. She was sitting cross-legged with a battle tactics textbook in her lap that she was attempting to study. But her thoughts kept escaping to Squall and wondering how he was doing and when she was going to see him again. "Darn that Irvine," Rinoa thought, "Taking Akane away from me for the evening."

Rinoa suddenly felt incredibly lonely. She realized everybody she cared about and who cared about her was gone - Squall, Quistis, Zell and even Selphie, who was sometimes impatient with her, but whom Rinoa knew, underneath it all, loved her too.

The only person left to Rinoa with a connection to the events of the past year, except for Irvine who was mostly an irritant, was the pigtail girl. "Good Grief!" Rinoa realized. "I don't even know her name."

Rinoa was attempting to force herself back into the textbook when a knock came upon the door. Rinoa jumped up and pattered across the room thinking, "Maybe Akane broke her date with Irvine." Rinoa was nonplussed when she threw open the door and Xu was standing in the hallway. Rinoa took a step backward and stared.

Xu asked, "May I come in or did I come at a bad time?"

"Uh, no. I mean yes, come in please" Rinoa stammered suddenly remembering the circumstances surrounding the last time she had spoken with Xu and blushed furiously at the memory.

Xu spoke, as if she were reading Rinoa's mind, "We all make mistakes, Rinoa. We all need to be forgiven at some time. In fact, I need to ask for your forgiveness for speaking about you behind your back. Will you accept my apology?"

Rinoa just nodded, but offered a small smile.

"That's better" Xu commented and took a seat on Selphie's bed and indicated she desired Rinoa to sit with her.

After Rinoa seated herself, Xu continued. "I actually dropped in to see how you were holding up with all of the _ children _ gone from the house."

Rinoa answered, "Well, just fine Xu." Rinoa stopped speaking suddenly and then continued, "No, I'm not fine" and one tear ran down her face from the corner of her right eye. "I'm not fine at all. I miss everybody terribly and I'm really glad I'm taking classes because it's giving me something to do. But worst of all I'm so scared about Squall - and, of course, Quistis too. I just don't understand why we haven't heard from them by now."

Xu replied, "Thanks for being so honest. I think I can relieve your anxiety a little. Before they left, I ran a chaos theory analysis on their mission and one of the highest percentage scenarios was they would become trapped in Galbadia, because of the shut down of all the train service, etc. So in anticipation of that eventuality, I provided them with a false acceptance letter from East Academy University and fake school transcripts to carry with them, in case they needed to run aground there. I truly believe they are fine, because we haven't experienced any kind of retaliation from Deling City, which we would expect if they had been captured."

Rinoa, with hope suffusing her face, asked, "So what you're saying is you think Squall and Quistis are okay and attending the University?"

Xu nodded. "Yes, I'm certain of it."

"Oh thank you, Xu!" Rinoa reached out impulsively and hugged Xu, who sat ramrod stiff but did attempt to return the hug by slapping her hands twice on Rinoa's back.

Xu stood up. "That's what I came to say. I now need to go visit Seifer. Good night" Xu said and exited the room.

"Good night" Rinoa echoed while she thought to herself, "Visit Seifer! Good grief, what now?"

* * *

Irvine purposely arrived at the corridor leading to the training center ten minutes early and was very suprised to see Akane already there waiting for him, as he strode down the corridor.

"Hi! Akane spoke brightly.

Irvine grinned at the cute teenager, who had quite a nifty little figure Irvine decided right at that moment. "I take it you're anxious to go" Irvine commented.

"Right on!" Akane excitedly cried.

"Whoa!" Irvine cautioned. "What do you know about the training center?"

"I know it's where you go to practice killing real monsters and then you go to the one place open after dinner where guys take you to try to _ mack _ on you."

Irvine was visibly taken aback. "Naw, that ain't right," he said. "Who told you that?" he demanded.

"Selphie" was Akane's simple answer.

"That figures" Irvine thought, but he replied, "It's a place where young men and women, who are just beginning to spread their wings to fly, can learn more about each other."

"Yeah, sure" Akane retorted sarcastically.

Irvine muttered, "This is just like having Selphie along" and then spoke aloud, "Let's get going. Time's a wasting."

"Alright!" Akane shouted.

They hiked into the training center that resembled a lush jungle with myriad tall trees of all varieties, large plants and shrubs, and fallen stumps. Irvine paused and pointed past a bridge they were approaching and directed "There's where we're headed, where that light is coming from. And if a T-Rexaur attacks, since there's only two of us, it would be wiser to run."

"Oh, you're no fun" Akane whined.

"Fun?" Irvine thought, "I'll show you _ fun. _

They began their run through the training center with Irvine taking point in order to partially protect Akane in case of a surprise attack.

From what appeared as out of nowhere, two Grats suddenly attacked. Irvine instructed, "Be quick! They can put you to sleep."

Akane sprang forward holding a long, deadly appearing, dagger in her right hand, but Irvine was intrigued to note that she declined to actually use it on the Grat, but began to pummel it with sudden kicks, and then chops with her left hand finally culminating in doing a complete forward somersault body slam on the Grat and showing a momentarily flash of pink panties that gratified Irvine, as he blew the other Grat into eternity with his _ Exeter. _

"What in the hell was that, Akane?" Irvine demanded.

"Just some martial arts my father taught me" she explained off-handedly. "They won't let me use them in hand-to-hand combat class, because they said it was too advanced for the class and I might hurt someone, so I thought this would be a good place to get some practice."

"Whoa!" Irvine thought, "This girl is sharp!"

A few minutes later, Irvine and Akane stepped into the balcony area that lay halfway through the path that encircled inside the training center. Akane instantly cooed, "Oh, it's so pretty" upon viewing the beautiful night sky and the light shining on the main part of the Garden. There were two couples involved with each other; one couple on each end of the wall, so Irvine guided Akane by her left elbow to the center of the balcony wall.

"So what do you think?" Irvine asked.

"It's so nice" Akane gushed. "But why is this open at night, when everywhere else is off-limits?"

Irvine answered, "The way I understand it is when Cid started the Garden he thought there should be somewhere open late, but in order to keep it a place just for older students, he placed it in the training center. He realized that only upper-classmen, who had achieved a certain level of combat readiness, would even chance coming into the training center."

"So, Akane" Irvine continued while reaching down and slipping his right hand around her waist. "What do you think of Arnaz?"

"Oh, he's okay," Akane replied, while attempting unsuccessfully to wrest herself away from Irvine's grip.

"The reason I was asking was" Irvine began to say while he slipped his hand inside the waistband of her skirt and panties and yanked them down to her feet leaving Akane standing half naked and wearing only shoes below her waist! Akane made no effort to shield her vagina from Irvine's intense staring and the startled gazes of the other couples on the balcony, but, on the contrary, stepped completely out of her skirt and panties and turned to face him with a sweet smile on her pretty face. Irvine was intrigued to note that her pubic hair was every bit as flaming red as the hair on her head. As Irvine reached out to embrace her, Akane stepped forward and quickly kneed him hard in the groin!

Irvine fell to his knees moaning. "Why did you do that?" gasped Irvine.

Akane laughed while pulling her skirt and panties on. "Selphie told me what to expect from you and also how to handle it. I'm leaving! Are you coming?"

* * *

Zell, Kasumi and Mishima decided it would be safer to not leave as a group, but individually instead. Zell had already left and Mishima was going to wait about fifteen minutes before leaving. She went upstairs to the bathroom to perform some last minute toiletries, because she was uncertain how many days they might be on the road before reaching Dollet.

Sayoko had gone out and her daughter was upstairs straightening the bedrooms leaving Kasumi and Selphie alone downstairs.

Selphie was uncertain as to the correct method to broach this sensitive subject with Kasumi, but reached a decision to plunge ahead anyway. "Kasumi" Selphie questioned, "How well do you know Mishima?"

"Fairly well. She was my roommate for a while. Why do you ask?"

Ignoring the question, Selphie asked, "What do you think of her?"

Kasumi didn't hesitate. "She's a sweetheart!"

Selphie thought to herself, "Not again! What's with this girl that everyone thinks she's a sweetheart?"

Mishima returned from the second floor and appeared absolutely gorgeous having applied a touch of makeup expertly with just a hint of eye shadow and a touch of perfume behind her ear, Selphie noticed with a sinking in her heart.

Mishima crossed the room and explained, "I'm going now. Wish me luck." And she gave Kasumi a hug and a quick kiss on her left cheek and did the same with Selphie, who was so stunned she couldn't respond. Mishima closed the door gently on the way out with a little wave back with her hand.

"Okay, Selphie!" Kasumi demanded. "What's up here with you and Mishima? You jealous or something?"

Selphie began to laugh. "No, I'm not jealous for me."

"What in the world are you talking about?"

Selphie asked, "Do you know the young woman who has a crush on Zell?"

Kasumi considered the question for a few seconds and then responded, "Yeah. It's the pigtail girl, isn't it? What is _ her _ name?"

Selphie replied, "Oh, don't go there. I can never remember her name either. Anyway, it seemed perfectly apparent to me yesterday that Zell has suddenly forgotten all about her, once he laid eyes on Mishima and I want to know what kind of person she is."

Kasumi reassured Selphie, "Mishima would never do anything to breakup somebody else's relationship. Anyway, she isn't even interested in a relationship at this time. She just like to hang out with a group of close friends."

Selphie thought that sounded vaguely familiar, but couldn't remember from where and when.

"I sincerely hope you're right, Kasumi, because I could never forgive myself if I helped make plans that would end up breaking that pigtail girl's heart - SeeD mission or not!"

* * *

As Xu was standing by the long conference table in Cid's office in anticipation of the morning staff meeting that was scheduled to begin in five minutes, she was startled to hear the sound of the elevator arriving at the third floor. She knew no one had been summoned to Cid's office and it was unusual for anyone to arrive voluntarily at this time of day. She was even more startled a second later when Edea stepped out of the elevator.

"Permission to come abroad, Xu?"

Xu nodded seriously, then quickly crossed to her and offered a quick hug. She took Edea by the hand and led her to the front of Cid's desk. Cid, as usual, was preoccupied with his papers and had files laying everywhere.

Xu announced, "Cid, there's someone here to see you."

"Hmmm" said Cid, as he continued writing, finally glancing up.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, "What are you doing here, Edea?"

Cid flushed and explained, "I'm sorry, I was just surprised. I meant how are you, Edea?"

"I'm fine, Cid. And you?"

Cid answered, "Oh, you know me. I'm doing the best I can."

Cid stepped around his desk and embraced Edea, who finally returned it.

"Actually" he admitted, "I've been very lonely. Very lonely indeed."

Cid took Edea by the hand and led her to the door of his apartment. He informed Xu "Staff meeting will be starting a little late this morning" and then he led Edea into the apartment and shut the door softly behind them.

Xu turned and smiled at Fujin, who offered thumbs up.

* * *

Zell, Kasumi and Mishima met outside of Timber and started off on their long trek to Dollet. They decided to stay off the main roads as much as possible to avoid Galbadian Army vehicles and other government officials, including the much-dreaded Galbadian Secret Police. They set off on a brisk pace, which they realized they would need to maintain as much as humanly possible, due to Dollet laying two hundred miles to the Northeast.

Zell thought to himself ruefully the same trip by train would take a couple of hours, but of course, the train was a bullet train, which traveled over a hundred miles per hour.

Kasumi suggested, "We might as well follow the railroad tracks as much as possible. The trains aren't running anyway and, if one does come through, maybe we can hitch a ride on it somehow." Zell replied "Trying to play hoboes on a Galbadian Army Train might just be a trifle dangerous, eh Mishima?"

"Oh, Zell! You haven't changed a whit!" laughed Mishima. "Let me see your gloves" she demanded. "Very nice" she commented. "What are they called?"

"They're called _ Ehrgeiz, _ cool huh?" answered Zell. "Let me see yours."

Mishima held out her gloves. "They're called _ Premium Heart _ and I just got them."

Zell continued, "That looks like an awesome weapon on your shoe. I wish I had one of those."

Kasumi listened with some amusement as they walked double-time with Zell and Mishima comparing weapons and fighting styles.

Zell said excitedly, "You know _ Dolphin Blow? _ Oh man, that's great! Here, let me show you _ My Final Heaven. _ Zell proceeded to shadow fight displaying the moves of _ My Final Heaven _ dancing all around her as light as a feather and throwing himself high in the air with a laughing Mishima mimicking his every move.

"Zell! Mishima!" Kasumi had to shout to allow herself to be heard over the noise Zell and Mishima were making. After finally getting their attention, Kasumi admonished, "I'm glad you all are having a good time, but this isn't a nature walk. Your're causing a commotion and you need to cool it. Now let's go.

Totally chagrined, Zell and Mishima muttered their apologies and began walking double-time again. 


	9. Once Again Chapter Nine

Once Again

Chapter Nine

_Selphie's Date_

A Trip to the Beach

Nida Redux

Akane to the Rescue

After Kasumi had left, Selphie decided to go downtown and see if she could locate Zone. After letting herself out of the house, she took a left and walked down to where a staircase to the left led to some shops and the _ Amphor Pub _ and straight led to another train station. She discovered Zone speaking with an attractive young woman, who was sitting on one of the benches by the staircase.

Selphie glided up next to his right side and whispered in his ear "What cha doing, Zone? Found somebody better to hit on?"

Zone leaped back in surprise, his face flushed; as he had been so engrossed in his conversation he had not noticed Selphie's arrival.

Clasping Selphie by the arm, he guided her in the direction of the train station. "No, but I think I might have discovered where Watts is hiding. Meet me for dinner at 7 o'clock at the _ Hamptons _ and I'll probably know more," he explained.

"Okay, it's a date," Selphie spoke unwittingly.

Zone turned crimson and scurried away back towards town.

"What a strange little dude" Selphie thought not for the first time.

* * *

Rinoa woke up early, excited about the proposed beach outing. She quickly dressed, putting her student uniform on over her yellow t-back bathing suit. After doing her makeup and hair, she left to go search for Akane.

Rinoa discovered Akane, Arnaz and Irvine waiting at the front entrance. Akane was wearing a simple one-piece white bathing suit and Arnaz was wearing red trunks. Irvine was dressed the same as usual topped off by his long cattleman's coat and cowboy hat. Rinoa also noticed he was carrying his weapon.

"Aw" Akane complained to Rinoa, "I thought you were going swimming. You're wearing your uniform."

Rinoa smiled mysteriously and teased, "We'll see. Maybe I'll change on the beach."

"Hot damn!" thought Irvine.

"Let's go," directed Irvine and trudged behind the three excited teenagers talking among themselves as they exited the Garden.

Upon reaching the beach area at the Cape of Good Hope, Rinoa began to strip off her uniform displaying her yellow t-back that left very little to the imagination.

"Wow!" gasped Arnaz as his face flushed.

"Alright!" thought Irvine. "That girl knows how to fill out a t-back."

Akane gushed "What a beautiful suit, Rinoa. I wish I had the guts to wear something like that!"

Rinoa responded, "You have a perfect figure, Akane. I'd be happy to help you pick something out at the beach shop the next time we're in Balamb."

"Oh, no" protested Akane. "I'm too shy to ever wear anything like that."

Rinoa shouted out, "Let's hit the water!" and ran laughing into the surf. As Irvine watched the three of them bobbing up and down in the ocean water, laughing and splashing each other, he now wished he had worn his bathing suit, but he had been serious about the viciousness of the monsters on this beach. Someone had to be equipped with a weapon, if they should suddenly show up.

After about an hour in the water, Rinoa, Akane and Arnaz returned to the beach and laid down their beach towels on the sand in preparation to lie on them. The towel Rinoa put down had a picture of Balamb on it. As she sat down, she noticed Akane's towel naturally had a picture of East Academy on it, but Arnaz's towel had a picture of Deling City.

"Hey, Arnaz!" she called out. "Where did you get that Deling City towel?"

Arnaz glanced at Rinoa and answered off handedly, "I don't really remember. Probably somebody gave it to me. Why do you ask?"

Rinoa explained, "I never knew anyplace other than Deling City that sells them. I just wanted to get one. I'm from there, you know."

"Yeah, Akane told me."

Rinoa laid on her stomach in order to receive some sun light on her back initially and spoke excitedly to Akane. "Xu informed me that Squall and Quistis are probably at East Academy and maybe will return soon."

"Oh goody!" squealed Akane, clapping her hands as if she were a small child. "But what are they doing at East Academy?"

Rinoa explained, "Xu said they are probably posing as students until the heat dies down enough so they can return to Balamb."

Akane replied, "I wish we could take the Garden and go get them. I want to meet him so badly."

Irvine entered the conversation. "We can't do that for two reasons. We'd be not only blowing their covers, but also we'd be risking retaliation from Galbadia."

"Aw, pooh" Akane replied.

Suddenly three Fastitocalon-F rose up through the sand on the beach and began to launch a furious attack! Arnaz continued to sit on his beach towel, too stunned to move. Both Rinoa and Akane jumped up from the beach. Rinoa was frantically looking around the beach hoping to discover something she could use as a weapon, while Akane assumed her traditional fighting stance.

Irvine leaped into action by blasting one of the Fastitocalon-F into oblivion with his _ Exeter. _ One of the two remaining Fastitocalon-F, in response to Irvine's attack, glided forward faster than the eye can see and attacked Rinoa rending her flesh above her left breast.

Rinoa cried out in pain and stumbled backwards, but managed to maintain her footing on the soft sand. Irvine shot and killed the Fastitocalon-F that attacked Rinoa. The remaining fish darted forward and bit Rinoa twice in the upper thigh area. Rinoa screamed out in pain and tumbled backwards onto the beach.

Akane sprung into action but this time, unlike at the training center, she came in low hooking the Fastitocalon-F from underneath and kicking it high in the air as she did a complete somersault. On her way down, Akane killed it with several vicious right-handed chops!

Quick as a flash Irvine ran to Rinoa's side, knelt down and cast several cures on her. He knew she needed more medical attention, but the cures would, at least, hold her until they could get her back to the Garden and into the clinic.

Arnaz and Akane helped bundle Rinoa up in some of the beach towels to help with the bleeding and to prevent her from making another spectacle of herself when they entered the Garden.

As Irvine walked behind them, he experienced the strangest feeling that he had witnessed Akane hesitating on purpose before attacking. "Nah" thought Irvine. "I'm imagining things."

* * *

Arnaz and Akane hurried the bundled up Rinoa to the clinic. Dr. Kadowaki stood up from her desk and stepped past it. "What seems to be the problem, Rinoa?"

Akane answered for her. "Rinoa was attacked by some Fastitocalon-F on the beach."

The doctor replied, "Oh, that really isn't a swimming beach."

"Irvine told us that, but Rinoa wanted to go swimming anyway," explained Akane.

"No use crying over spilt milk," sermonized Dr. Kadowaki. "Let's get her into a bed" instructed the doctor, who followed the three teenagers down the hall. "Go in the first empty room you can find" directed Dr. Kadowaki.

Once inside the room, Dr. Kadowaki directed Rinoa to remove her bathing suit and wrap herself in a sheet and wait for her to return and then exited the room.

Arnaz discreetly left and as Akane began to accompany him, Rinoa reached out and touched Akane's arm and pleaded "Please stay with me."

"Sure, I'd be happy to!" replied Akane. "You strip down and I'll wrap you in this sheet," Akane suggested, while holding up the top sheet she found lying on the bed in the center of the small room.

As Rinoa, turning her back, began to peel her bathing suit off, wincing in pain as she had to pull it over her wounds, Akane looked around the small room taking it all in with a single glance. There was a small stool in the corner for visitors or the use of the doctor, a water pitcher and glass on a bedside table, a bendable lamp that hung over the bed, a bedside call button and blue curtains that hung down over an open window. As Akane turned around to look behind her, she was amazed to see a full plate glass window running down the entire length of the wall that looked into the next patient room. Each room had a window to the next room so, in case of an emergency, the doctor could monitor more than one room simultaneously.

When Akane observed Nida in the next room, who was apparently paying a visit to a sick friend, Akane's face took on a malicious expression. She paused until she sensed Rinoa was beginning to turn around to be wrapped in the sheet and then Akane knocked on the window loudly to attract Nida's attention and, whirling out of the way, Akane exclaimed, "Look Rinoa! It's Nida!"

As Rinoa turned her body fully toward the window, she instinctively glanced up and observed Nida standing there with his mouth agape on the other side of the glass staring at her standing there totally nude in all the beauty that nature had bestowed upon her.

Rinoa screamed and fell into a crouch attempting to cover her nakedness, while Nida fell backwards against the bed in the other room. By the time the doctor ran into the room, Akane had wrapped the weeping Rinoa in the sheet and Nida, who had already fled, was nowhere to be seen.

The doctor asked quickly "I heard a scream. What's the problem?"

Akane answered, "Gee, I don't know. She just suddenly started screaming. Maybe it's the pain."

* * *

Irvine stood outside of the door of Rinoa and Selphie's dorm room and distinctly heard the sound of sobbing emanating from inside the room. Irvine thought he was really beginning to feel sorry for that girl.

He knocked gently. "Go away!" the voice of Rinoa called out from inside the room.

"Rinoa, it's me - Irvine."

"I said go away! I don't want to talk to anybody right now."

"Rinoa, please" Irvine pleaded. "I'm not supposed to be on the women's floor and I brought you your uniform."

"Oh, all right" Rinoa sighed and just barely cracked the door open. "Give it to me" she demanded.

Irvine protested, "You'll have to open the door more than that. I can't fit your uniform in that small of a space."

Feeling suddenly frustrated and very angry over everything that had happened to her over the past week, Rinoa flung the door open as hard as she could. It was thrown with such force that it bounced off the wall of the room and ricocheted back toward her.

Rinoa stood still wrapped in the slightly bloody sheet that she was forced to wear from the clinic to her room after the doctor had cleaned and bandaged her wounds. Her face was red and puffy from crying, but Irvine thought she still looked beautiful.

Handing her the uniform, Irvine said "I'm really sorry you got injured, Rinoa. Are you in a lotta pain?"

"No, not anymore" she answered appearing perplexed.

"Well, I heard you crying and everything."

"That's a different matter that I don't wish to discuss" Rinoa responded tartly. "Now if you will excuse me" she replied attempting to close the door.

Irvine placed his hand on the door and said "There's something I need to ask you about Akane."

"What now?" Rinoa asked resignedly assuming it would have something to do with Irvine attempting to _ score. _

"I get the weirdest vibration from her - like something's just not right."

Rinoa responded heatedly, "Irvine, I think she's just a sweet young girl, who happens to be the best friend I have right now! Thank you for bringing me my uniform. Now goodbye!" And saying that Rinoa slammed the door in Irvine's face!

Irvine turned away from the dooring thinking, "Whew, that girl's turning into a tiger."

* * *

Doctor Kadowaki peered over the ever-growing stack of medical files on her desk and remarked, "That was a wonderful thing you did, Xu, for Cid and Edea. I'm proud of you."

Xu flushed, ducked her head, shifted uncomfortably on the stool and finally stood up and replied, "Arigato, Doctor. Coming from you that means a lot, but let's drop the subject."

The doctor gently smiled. "Alright, Xu. Ever since you were an adolescent and probably before that, although I didn't know you then, you have been unable to accept a compliment."

Xu began to leave, but suddenly remembered one of the reasons she had come to visit the doctor. "How's Rinoa doing? Was she badly injured?" Xu asked.

The doctor leaned back a little in her chair. "I'll say this - You don't miss much that goes on around here. But to answer your question, no it was just basically some nicks."

Doctor Kadowaki glanced shrewdly at Xu and stated, "You're making Rinoa one of your projects, aren't you?"

Xu answered, "Well, I feel sorry for her. She seems to have a good heart, but when she operates without Squall, she doesn't appear to have a clue as to how to go about everyday living."

The doctor replied, "Rinoa will be fine in the long run. She is an intelligent, strong, beautiful young girl who will grow into a loving, capable woman very shortly. And if she doesn't, you send her to me. I'll straighten her out!"

As Xu and Doctor Kadowaki were laughing, the intercom clicked on and Cid's voice announced "Attention, everyone! We are preparing to leave Centra and journey to Trabia. All necessary personnel report to duty stations immediately."

Xu smiled at the doctor. "Well, that's me. Thanks again for everything." Xu turned and left the clinic beginning her trek that would lead her back to the bridge.

* * *

Akane and the pigtail girl sat at a late afternoon table in the coffee shop. Akane asked excitedly "Did you hear? We're going to Trabia! I've never been anywhere near Trabia in my life."

Akane glanced around the room and exclaimed, "Boy, oh boy! Where is everyone? It's just you and me."

The pigtail girl smiled and answered, "Well, I don't know about everyone else, but Zell and Selphie have been sent to Timber. I hope he's alright."

"Timber! Do you suppose they were sent to help Squall at East Academy?"

"Squall?" the pigtail girl repeated. "No, I don't think so. I think it's something else entirely."

"Aw, foo" Akane pouted. "I so want to meet him. What's he like?"

Before the pigtail girl could formulate an answer, Irvine strolled up and, sitting down, replied "He's usually moody and surly and doesn't have much time for people, particularly young girls."

As Akane turned to Irvine, the pigtail girl giggled at Irvine's remarks. "Where'd you come from?" asked Akane.

"I had to take her uniform back to Rinoa. Man, is she upset about something! But she wouldn't tell me what."

"I know what it is" confessed Akane, proceeding to explain to Irvine and the pigtail girl the entire episode that occurred at the clinic.

When she had finished, the pigtail girl responded, "Oh, the poor thing. No wonder she's upset."

Irvine explained "All I know is she looked like she had really been crying about it."

Akane replied "I'll go visit her after dinner and try to cheer her up."

"Speaking of which," Irvine said while beginning to stand up, "shall we be going to dinner?" Irvine held his arm out for Akane to take, so he could escort her. Akane and the pigtail girl arose from the table.

Akane turned to her and asked, "Do you want to eat with us?"

"Well, yes. I usually eat with Zell, but since he's not here I'd be happy to."

"Let's go, ladies!" Irvine directed.

* * *

Seifer, Raijin and Fujin were seated around their customary table in the cafeteria. As Seifer was eating from a large pile of hot dogs on his plate, Raijin exclaimed "Seifer! Give me a hot dog!"

"No" answered Seifer while placing another half a hot dog into his mouth and chewing.

"Seifer, no da, this isn't fair. You having all those hot dogs and we can't even get one, no da!" Raijin replied.

"I don't care."

"Seifer, no da, this isn't any way to treat your posse, no da," Raijin said attempting a different tack.

"Too bad."

Fujin laughed as Raijin attempted to quickly lift a hot dog off Seifer's plate, only to have Seifer pin Raijin's hand to the table with a fork.

Fuijin exlcaimed, "RAGE, BEHAVE!"

"It's not me, no da. It's him, no da" Raijin accused.

Raijin asked, "Did you know Edea is back in the Garden?"

"Did I know?" asked Seifer. "Of course I knew," Seifer explained, "I was instrumental in her returning."

Raijin exclaimed, "No way!"

Fujin responded, "WAY!"

Raijin, still not quite believing Seifer, asked, "Why would you do that, no da?"

Seifer finished the remaining hot dog on his plate, stood up and looked Raijin straight in the eye and replied, "Because I lust after her too. I can't stop dreaming about her at night. Let's go, men." With that Seifer turned and began to walk away.

"Aw Seifer!" Raijin whined while trailing behind him and the silently laughing Fujin.

* * *

Their first day of classes passed quickly for Quistis and Squall, what with their needing to discover the location of the necessary different buildings and classrooms and not really understanding their way around the large campus yet.

They compared notes of their day as they sat in their dorm apartment after the dinner hour. Quistis was seated in the easy chair with her long legs crossed and Squall sat on the edge of his bed.

"Who was that guy I saw you having lunch with?" Squall inquired.

"Oh, just some guy in one of my classes."

"Oh, does he have a name?" Squall asked slightly sarcastic.

Quistis sighed but said, "Of course he has a name! It's Godai." And then she went on to say, "But you have no reason to get so pushy. I saw you with Kyoko most of the day."

Squall grinned but said, "I feel as if there's something strange about her."

"Yeah, I bet" Quistis retorted.

"No, I don't mean like that." Squall elaborated "She asks way too many questions about where we're from, what our family is like and a whole lot of questions about you."

"About me?" Quistis asked surprised. "You don't think she's working for Galbadia?"

"Could be" was Squall's response. "We need to be careful with her. I don't trust her."

"Squall, how long do we have to stay here?"

"I'm not sure. All I know is it's going to be a while longer" Squall answered.

Quistis stretched her arms straight up and stood up. "Oh" she sighed. "Uh, Squall" she began to say.

"I know, I know, you want to take a shower and will I go somewhere else."

"Uh, huh" confirmed Quistis.

"Ja Ne" Squall said while leaving the room.

* * *

Akane knocked upon the door of Rinoa's room.

"Go away" came the voice of Rinoa.

"It's me, Akane!"

"I don't care who it is. Go _ a _ way!" replied the voice of Rinoa from within the room.

"I'm going to stand here all night and bang on this door until you open up!" shouted Akane. "And I'm not kidding!"

Suddenly the door opened and Akane was confronted by Rinoa, whose hair was disheveled, her face red and puffy from incessant crying and still wrapped in the bloody sheet she had worn from the clinic.

Rinoa asked in a surly tone, "What do you want?"

Akane pushed by Rinoa and into the room, closing the door behind her. "What do I want? You're my best friend and you're in pain."

"Go away, Akane. You've already done enough for me today," Rinoa retorted.

Akane suddenly dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Rinoa's legs. "Oh, please forgive me. I had no idea it was a window. I thought it was some kind of weird two way mirror."

Rinoa replied, "Please get up, Akane and go."

Akane answered, "Not until you forgive me and mean it. I can't stand having you upset with me."

Rinoa's heart somewhat softened at the sight of the young teenage girl pouring her feelings out to her and replied, "Alright, I forgive you."

Akane acted as if she was going to arise, but instead clutched the bottom of the bloody sheet and ripped it off Rinoa rendering her stark naked! Rinoa gasped and jumped back fearing for her physical safety.

Akane ordered, "Now this is enough, Rinoa. Go over there," Akane directed while pointing to the mirror over Rinoa's bureau, "and fix your hair and do your makeup, while I look for something for you to put on!"

Despite her nudity, Rinoa did as she was ordered. Moving as if in a dream, she crossed to the mirror and, using a brush that was lying on her bureau, began to brush her hair.

Akane became a bundle of energy darting here and there, pulling open a drawer and placing fresh underwear for Rinoa on her bed. Rinoa turned around to discover what Akane was doing. Akane ordered, "Do your makeup and then put this underwear on!"

Meanwhile Akane was already going through Rinoa's closet searching for a good outfit for Rinoa to wear. She felt as though it would be good for Rinoa to wear something this evening other than her uniform. She, ironically enough, since she had never observed Rinoa wear it, pulled out Rinoa's black blouse and shorts, her short blue skirt and her long blue vest!

When Akane turned back with the outfit, she noticed Rinoa was now appareled in her bra and panties. "Here" she said reaching out with the outfit. "Put this on."

"Oh, I can't believe you picked that. That's my favorite outfit!"

"Good. Now put it on" ordered Akane and stood over Rinoa until she was fully dressed, except for her shoes.

"Put your shoes on. We're going out." As Rinoa sat on the edge of her bed to put her shoes on, she asked, "Where are we going? Nothing's open."

"We're just going for a walk. It will do you good to get out of the room."

When Rinoa was fully dressed, Akane literally pushed her out the door.

As Akane was shutting the door behind them, Rinoa glanced down and said with some emotion, "You're a good friend, Akane."

"I know" the ebullient teenager exclaimed, "I'm the best!"

* * *

Selphie readied herself for her _ date _ with Zone by taking a long, luxurious, hot shower, drying and fixing her hair and applying her makeup. She decided to leave off with any perfume, not wanting to entice Zone in any way.

Then Selphie slipped into her cotton panties and took a damp washrag and dabbed at some spots on her yellow dress that needed to be cleaned. Sayoko had offered to have her dress cleaned, but since she didn't feel as though she wanted to sit around all day half naked wearing only her panties, she had to decline. She was still angry that Sayoko's daughter didn't offer to lend her any clothes so she could have her dress cleaned, but she figured she should never had made that cutting remark so many months ago about her mother's beauty being a legend!

After giving her dress a few minutes to dry, she then slipped it on and pulled up the front zipper. Giving her hair a toss for placement, she grinned at herself in the mirror, checked the heel of both of her boots and then exited the steamy bathroom and proceeded downstairs.

"Don't you look nice" Sayoko complimented.

"Arigato." Selphie ducked her head, never comfortable with being complimented. "I guess I'll go now."

"Say hi to Zone for me and tell him I'll come look him up tomorrow."

Selphie agreed as she opened the front door and shut it behind her, stepping out into the street. Taking a quick glance around the immediate area, she espied several Galbadian soldiers scattered around, who were paying absolutely no attention to her. After checking the heel of each of her boots, Selphie began walking toward the other end of town.

Fifteen minutes later she was approaching _ Hamptons _ when she noticed Zone. She was surprised to observe he wasn't wearing a disguise and wondered to herself if that wasn't dangerous for him at this time with so many Galbadian soldiers lurking about.

"Hi, Selphie. You're right on time."

Selphie inquired, "Is it safe for you to be out without some kind of disguise?"

"No, probably not" he grinned ruefully. "But I can't go on a date with my favorite girl in some sort of clownish outfit."

"Uh, Zone" Selphie began to explain, but was interrupted by Zone, taking her by the arm and, suggesting, "Let's get off the street" and escorting her into the restaurant.

After they were seated at their table and had placed their dinner order, Zone leaned forward and began whispering to Selphie causing her to lean forward so closely, to hear him, she could have kissed him.

"I found Watts," he explained.

"Oh, Zone. That's wonderful! Where was he?" she asked.

"When we first fled Timber I guess he ran all the way to East Academy and then back again," Zone explained with a soft chuckle. "I found him hiding with a family, who took him in, down by the train station."

"And guess what?"

"Tell me, Zone" Selphie answered patiently.

"I found your comrade! He's hiding with Watts."

"Oh, Zone! That's fantastic!" Selphie exclaimed with a large smile crossing her pretty face.

Zone, who found her to be so completely adorable at that moment, couldn't restrain himself and leaned foward and kissed her fully on her open lips, while slipping his tongue into her mouth!

"ZONE!" Selphie screamed causing diners in the crowded dining room to turn and stare at them. Selphie instinctively reached back her right hand and delivered a substantial slap across the side of Zone's face and then arose preparing to flee the dining room.

Zone quickly grasped her by the wrist and pulled her down onto her chair. "Selphie, please! You're causing a scene we can ill afford."

Selphie, who was still furious but realizing Zone spoke the truth, remained in her seat.

Zone began to apologize so abjectly and totally, plus constantly mentioning her immense beauty had caused him to act in such an impolite manner, that she forgave him with a stiff warning she would seriously damage him, if he ever attempted anything like that again.

After they had eaten and Zone paid the bill, they hurried from the restaurant and headed toward the other end of Timber. Selphie and Zone walked along in complete silence so as to not attract any attention to themselves and to also prevent being overheard saying anything of a sensitive nature. As they moved along, Selphie wondered who Brian was. She realized she didn't recognize the name, but hoped, at least, she would recognize him or visa versa because it certainly wouldn't do, if he didn't recognize her as a fellow SeeD. It was only her innate modesty that prevented her from realizing there weren't any SeeDs who didn't know who she was from the time she was so instrumental in Ultimecia's destruction.

Finally at the end of one of the streets that ran by the lower railroad passenger loading areas, Zone pointed at a house and explained, "This one."

Zone knocked once and waited and then knocked four straight times. The door was immediately opened by Watts, who said to Selphie "Welcome sir. So good to see you again." As Selphie stepped into the small two-story house closely followed by Zone, she understood that her concern was unnecessary as she immediately recognized Brian as the SeeD, who was known to practically everyone in the Garden as the _ conceited SeeD. _ Selphie also remembered he was well known for always spending time in the library attempting to chat up the pigtail girl, which could quite possibly make the remainder of the mission, when Zell returned, quite interesting.

Fighting down her initial feeling of dislike towards him, Selphie offered her right hand and said, "It's real good to see you, Brian." Taking her hand and attempting to crush it, he replied, "I imagine it would be."

Watts invited everyone upstairs to one of the small bedrooms on the second floor in order to allow the family who lived there their personal space and also to insure some privacy for themselves. Upon entering the bedroom, Selphie checked the heel on both of her boots and flopped down on her back on one of the beds and listened as Watts wove his convoluted tale of he and Brian originally fleeing the considerable distance to East Academy and actually remaining there for a few days before beginning to wend their way back to Timber only arriving early in the morning.

When Watts was finally finished, Brian asked, "What's our new objective?"

Selphie sat up on the bed and responded in a slightly cutting tone, "Our new objective is to wait in Timber until Zell returns and lets us know what he discovered, if anything, in Dollet."

"What if he doesn't return?"

"If he doesn't return," Selphie answered, "and there is no doubt in my mind that he will return, we will then proceed to Dollet ourselves."

Watts explained to Selphie, "Sir, I am going with Zone, because we need to communicate with our organization immediately and you and Brian should return to Sayoko's house and not tax this nice families' hospitality any more than necessary."

Selphie readily agreed and, as they were preparing to depart the bedroom, Zone suggested, "Please meet Watts and me down near the railroad station tomorrow and possibly we'll be able to coordinate some plans. You might want to come alone, in order to allow Brian to rest."

Selphie agreed, thanked Zone again for the dinner and, more importantly, for locating Brian and then she and Brian exited the bedroom and returned downstairs, leaving Watts and Zone deviously rubbing their hands together and giggling concerning something.

Once they were on the first floor, Selphie bowed to the family, who were seated watching TV in their living room and thanked them for everything and then offered Brian directions to Sayoko's house and suggested he leave first and that she would follow shortly thereafter. He nodded and left the house. As Selphie paused for a short time before leaving, she discovered herself wondering what exactly she had become involved in. 


	10. Once Again Chapter Ten

Once Again

Chapter Ten

_Selphie's Treat_

Dead Reckoning

Rinoa Goes For a Swim

Nida Again

The moon was high in the night sky as Zell, Kasumi and Mishima trudged along the railroad tracks. They had walked all the long day, except for two quick breaks for meals that consisted of dried fruits and nuts. Zell, noticing that Kasumi appeared to be slightly weaving as she walked along, suggested, "Maybe we better stop for the night?"

Kasumi glanced gratefully at him and responded, "I second that emotion."

Mishima suggested, "We better look for an appropriate place."

"How about over there?" Mishima asked, pointing to one of the many small clumps of forest still remaining in the Vaulny Canyon.

"Sounds good" Zell agreed taking the lead of the two women and trudging into the forest.

As they collapsed gratefully onto the forest floor, Kasumi asked, "Are there monsters in these woods?"

"Yes" answered Zell standing up. "I'll go gather some firewood. A fire will help keep them at bay. Plus someone will have to stand guard."

"Oh, no" moaned Kasumi. "Someone's going to have to stay up all night?"

Mishima shook her head no. "We'll stand watches. I'll take the first watch for three hours."

Zell volunteered for the second watch for three hours and they allowed Kasumi the third watch for two hours, because she appeared to be the one most exhausted.

Kasumi whined, "I can't believe I have to walk sixteen hours a day and then stay up half the night."

Mishima retorted, "No one ever said being a SeeD was going to be easy."

As Zell was kneeling and placing the wood he had gathered in preparation of starting a fire, Kasumi pointed to some distant lights and asked, "Is that Dollet?"

"No, that's East Academy" Mishima answered. "We're about half way to Dollet. We have, at least, another day or maybe more to go."

Kasumi groaned and fell instantly asleep.

Zell finished starting the fire, winked at Mishima and laid down on the ground.

"Sleep sweet, Zell," she said.

After waking up at the crack of dawn and, having their usual meal of dried fruits and nuts, Zell, Kasumi and Mishima set off once again on their long trek to Dollet. The initial enthusiasm they first experienced when leaving Timber had worn off completely and they walked quickly mile after mile in complete silence unless communication was dictated by their immediate situation.

The closer they drew to East Academy, the more east they walked because they recognized the danger of traveling too close to the Galbadian authority there. They had, as a matter of caution, continued to travel off road as much as possible.

* * *

Rinoa, Akane and the pigtail girl were already seated around their early morning coffee shop table, when Irvine walked up. Pulling up a chair and sitting down, he asked "How are you feeling, Rinoa?"

Rinoa, glancing up from her battle tactics textbook, answered "Hello, Irvine. I'm fine, thank you."

"I was really worried about you yesterday."

"I took care of everything, Irvine!" exclaimed Akane. "There was no need for you to worry your pretty little head about it."

Rinoa smiled at the excitable teenager from across the table.

The pigtail girl interjected, "Not to change the subject, but we have a little mystery in the library. The picture of the Legendary SeeD has disappeared!"

"Oh, that is weird," responded Irvine.

"Who's the Legendary SeeD?" Akane naturally asked.

Rinoa glanced around the table and, observing no one appeared as if they were going to respond, answered, "The way I understand it is the Legendary SeeD was the very first graduate a number of years ago. His fighting skills were supposed to be unmatched, but he disappeared on a mission and nobody has seen him since. But the person to ask is Cid. He seems to be the only person who knows anything about it for certain."

"Oh no" protested Akane. "I'm too shy to go anywhere around Headmaster Cid. He doesn't even know who I am, and, besides, I hear his sorceress wife is back."

Rinoa contradicted, "Edea is no longer a sorceress and there is absolutely no way anything could happen again. You're just being silly, Akane."

"That may be, but I say better safe than sorry."

Attempting to change the subject, Rinoa asked "Where is Arnaz this morning?"

"I don't know," Akane pouted. "I haven't seen him since yesterday. Maybe he got a bad sunburn on the beach and is laid up sick in his room."

It had become obvious to everyone at the table Akane hadn't appreciated being informed she was acting _ silly. _

Rinoa, continuing to ignore Akane's body language, replied, "No, I don't remember him looking particularly red yesterday."

"Oh, who cares Rinoa?" Irvine asked while arising from the table. "He'll turn up. Come on ladies. Let's go to breakfast."

* * *

Nearing the end of the morning staff meeting, Xu reported "At the present rate of speed we're traveling, we should be approaching Trabia by the end of the day tomorrow. I hope we find they're alright."

Cid replied, "I'm sure we will. By the way, have we made any progress on ascertaining if there is a spy loose in the Garden?"

"I'm sorry to report that we've discovered nothing so far."

"NOTHING" echoed Fujin.

Cid ordered, "Well, keep after it Xu. Anything else? Good, then the meeting is adjourned."

Everyone arose from the table and Fujin crossed to her desk and sat down. As Xu began to move toward the elevator, Cid said, "Please wait a minute, Xu."

As she turned, he spoke in a soft voice, "I just wanted to thank you for what you did for Edea and myself."

"My pleasure, sir" responded Xu with a smile. She turned and entered the elevator.

Cid thought to himself, "She should smile a little more often. It looked good on her."

* * *

When Selphie finally rolled over and woke up, the initial thing she noticed was sunlight pouring through the window in a manner that immediately informed her it was not early morning. She yawned and stretched her youthful body in a position of a drawn bow and then placed her feet on the floor. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept this late. Of course, it was impossible to sleep late at the Garden what with early breakfast and classes or duties.

After she and Brian returned to Sayoko's house, they had remained up late conversing concerning his adventures with Watts and what their immediate plans might include, if Zell did not return in a reasonable time. Selphie glanced over at the slumbering Brian and realized he wouldn't be awake for hours, possibly not before nightfall due to his being so exhausted from his and Watts' travels or was it _ travails? _ Selphie giggled.

She arose from her bed and padded to the bedroom door and peered out. Not observing anyone, she dashed into the bathroom and locked the door and proceeded to take another long, hot, luxurious shower. Selphie toweled herself off as best she could and wrapped the towel around her as she stepped back out into the hall and traveled directly to her bedroom. Dropping the towel on the floor, she retrieved her makeup kit and hairbrush and retreated once more to the bathroom locking the door behind her. After fifteen minutes of applying makeup and brushing her hair and, after peeking out of the door, she again dashed to her bedroom shutting the door softly behind her. It certainly wouldn't do to wake Brian at this point with her standing there totally nude.

She crossed the room and retrieved a pair of clean panties from her knapsack - she must remember to do some laundry today - and stepped into them. She quickly stepped into her yellow dress and slipped it up over her shoulders and pulled the front zipper up. After putting on her boots and checking the heels individually, she was ready to go. Coming down the steps, she perceived all of her dashing was an exercise in futility, because apparently no one was home.

Selphie stepped out of the front door making sure to lock it behind her and, after glancing around and discerning the usual gaggle of Galbadian soldiers lurking about, she set off down the street to locate Zone and Watts.

Selphie discovered Zone in his favorite spot by the staircase. He appeared happy to see her, as he came equipped with a large smile on his face. He clasped her by the elbow and escorted her to a far corner where they could converse in private.

"You look positively radiant today, Selphie."

"Uh, thank you" Selphie responded slowly, rather than telling Zone to knock it off, because she realized how sensitive his stomach was.

"So what's up, Zone? Did you and Watts formulate any plans for today?"

"Actually," Zone explained, "Watts is out trying to find as many of our former comrades as he can and I'm just kicking around Timber."

"Oh" Selpie replied, vaguely disappointed. She had thought she was going to travel with Watts and Zone today.

"But," Zone continued, "I have a special treat planned for us today."

"And what might that be?" Selphie asked sardonically.

"How would you like to spend the afternoon relaxing at the _ Amphor Pub?" _

"Zone! I can't drink there. I'm not old enough."

"It doesn't matter, Selphie. Those people owe me big time. I've kept that place from being burned down by the Galbadian Army so many times I've lost track."

"Oh, I don't know. I don't really drink much."

"Come on, Selphie" Zone insisted, "It'll be fun or are you chicken?"

Not many things rile Selphie as much as someone accusing her of cowardice, so she responded "Okay, let's go."

* * *

The _ Amphor Pub _ had a long bar a person could drink at or individual tables with chairs. When they entered the pub, Selphie indicated that she would prefer a table.

"Then a table it shall be" laughed Zone with a false hilarity.

"All of the sudden this guy is reminding me of Irvine" thought Selphie.

After they were seated, a waitress approached and asked, "What'll it be?"

Zone looked expectantly at Selphie and, when she didn't respond, he said, "Bring us a couple of jars of Sake, please."

"Coming right up" the waitress answered, she being a master of cliches.

The waitress brought over the two jars and two moderate sized bowls to drink from.

"Arigato" Zone replied. The waitress bowed and replied "Call me if you need anything further" and then retreated to the bar area.

Zone filled up both bowls and handed one over to Selphie. "Now you have to drink this slow because if you don't, it has a habit of sneaking up and kicking you in the behind" warned Zone.

As if to answer him, Selphie tipped up her bowl and drank the entire contents and held it out for Zone to refill. It was then she felt the incredible warmth spreading instantaneously throughout her entire body causing her to flush and perspire immediately. And she began to cough.

Zone leaned over to clap Selphie on the back until she shot up a warning hand to him. He immediately sat back having learned the night before Selphie's blows could be swift and deadly. Selphie finally finished coughing. "Wow!" she exclaimed, "That was awesome. Give me some more."

"Now Selphie," Zone warned, "you shouldn't go so fast. I'm telling you."

"Oh, ho! So who's the chicken now?" she almost cackled.

"Okay, it's your funeral" Zone replied prophetically.

Selphie downed two more quick bowls and that was the last thing she remembered for several hours.

* * *

Selphie awoke in the Timber Hotel with the worst headache she had ever experienced and the muted sunlight coming through the heavy curtains actually seemed to be sending knives of pain into her brain. She thought, "What am I doing in the hotel? I don't remember coming here."

Sitting up too suddenly, Selphie felt as though she was going to vomit. As she moved to arise from the bed, the sheet dropped off her bare breasts. Even in the condition Selphie was in, she was able to comprehend she wasn't wearing her dress. Almost too frightened to look, she picked up the sheet and glanced down at the rest of her body. "Nope" she thought, "Not a stitch!"

Feeling totally disoriented and trying hard not to panic, she began glancing around the room for her clothes. Selphie wrapped the top sheet around her and attempted to stand up, but immediately felt too dizzy to stand. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Selphie mumbled aloud "Where are my clothes?"

Suddenly Selphie remembered enough to think, "Where's that damn Zone?" and finally when full consciousness struck her, she stood up, dropped the sheet on the floor at her feet and began to minutely check every inch of her body. When she had finished, she reseated herself on the bed and thought, "Well, at least I don't have to worry about that" because everything appeared to be undisturbed and intact.

A knock came gently upon the door. "Selphie, are you awake yet?"

Recognizing Zone's voice, Selphie jumped up, rewrapped the top sheet around her and screamed, "Zone! You get in here and give me my clothes." while beginning to charge the door.

Zone quickly entered the room, hoping to forestall any more screaming on Selphie's part, because of his anxiety she would cause enough of a scene the Galbadian Army soldiers, who were in the lobby, would become involved.

Selphie, perceiving the object of her immediate anger continued screaming as she attempted to launch herself at him, "Give me back my clothes, you pervert!"

"Selphie, please. Try to remember. You got sick."

As Selphie launched herself through the air at Zone her sheet unraveled revealing her naked body. Zone clutched it and rewrapped her. "Selphie, calm down! Your're losing your sheet. I'll tell you where your clothes are. Don't you remember? You got sick!"

Suddenly Selphie did experience a glimmer of a memory of drinking so much she began to vomit all over herself and the pub and she and Zone being ejected from the bar.

"Okay" Selphie replied slightly calmer, "I do remember being sick. But how did I get here and why did you take my clothes off, you sick pervert?"

"Selphie, I couldn't very well take you to Sayoko's in that condition, so I brought you here. Your clothes are out being cleaned."

Selphie, feeling somewhat mollified, still insisted, "What gave you the right to take my clothes off when I was passed out, you filthy pervert?"

"Selphie, it wasn't me. The desk clerk helped you. She was very understanding and I wasn't even in the room. I haven't been in the room one time until just now."

As if on cue, a knock came at the door and when Zone opened it, the desk clerk, an attractive dark haired, middle age woman entered the room. She handed Selphie her outfit with her precious boots on top and said "Here you go - good as new."

"We are so grateful, Madame." Zone bowed from the waist.

"My pleasure, I was young once. Now if you will excuse me, I have to return to my duties," the desk clerk explained and exited the room.

Zone stared at Selphie, who responded, "Okay, Zone. I'm sorry I called you a pervert, but you can hardly blame me."

Zone smiled, "Apology accepted" and continued to stare at Selphie.

"What are you waiting for, Zone? Get out of here so I can get dressed!"

Zone scurried from the room quickly.

* * *

Zell, Kasumi and Mishima stopped and had their noon meal a short while after high noon and then took a short rest.

Kasumi asked Mishima, "How much longer to Dollet?"

"At least another day" was her answer.

"Oh" Kasumi moaned, "I can't believe it. My feet are killing me."

There was little Zell and Mishima could offer to that, because they didn't feel much differently.

After fifteen minutes had passed, they arose and started again. When they reached the other side of East Academy, Zell breathed a sigh of relief that they had apparently skirted the Galbadian forces.

A few minutes later, it became obvious his relief had been premature as a Galbadian Army vehicle suddenly appeared around the side of one of the many rocky mountains in the area. It happened so quickly the three young SeeDs were afforded no opportunity to hide or even avoid confrontation.

Mishima quickly directed, "Let me do the talking since I'm from Dollet." Zell and Kasumi quickly agreed, although Zell thought Mishima volunteered because she was the one who had the best chance of _ sweet talking _ the soldiers.

When the driver finally observed them, he screeched the vehicle to a halt and he and another soldier leaped out. Mishima began stepping forward to speak; when it became obvious the Galbadian soldiers had no intention of asking questions or even taking prisoners as they opened fire.

Being closest, Mishima had no opportunity to do anything but throw herself flat on the ground to avoid their fire. Kasumi immediately threw her _ Rising Sun _ and hit one of the two soldiers killing him outright and Zell threw himself at the other one doing a combination of _ Punch Rush _ and finishing with _ Heel Drop _ which broke the soldier's neck. Zell could hear the neck snap and then immediately became aware the dead soldier's bodily functions had been released.

Mishima, sitting up, turned and thanked Zell for saving her. Zell, meanwhile, had spun around to check on Kasumi and was startled to perceive her on her knees sobbing.

Zell quickly ran to her and knelt down by her side. "Are you injured?"

Kasumi appeared so overcome she was unable to stop weeping, but managed to shake her head in an indication she wasn't hurt.

Mishima quickly knelt down and began to hug Kasumi and gently rock her, while whispering in her ear. Mishima glanced up at Zell and with a quick flip of her head was able to communicate to him that they needed some personal space. Zell regained his feet and wandered a few feet away.

Finally Kasumi appeared to be under more control of herself and she and Mishima both stood up also. Mishima approached Zell and spoke quietly, "She's never killed anyone before. She's never seen death this close up."

Zell understood immediately having been there, once upon a time, himself, although it now seemed as if it was light years ago. Zell approached Kasumi and told her to hang in there. Turning to Mishima, Zell explained, "We have to bury these soldiers. See if there are any shovels or something we can use for digging located in their truck."

As Mishima began to open the truck door, Kasumi asked, "Shouldn't we just get out of here?"

"No, we have to hide the evidence of what happened here as long as possible," answered Zell. "If another Army vehicle came by this afternoon and discovered this, the entire area would soon be blanketed by Army personnel searching for us."

"What about just dragging them into the forest and leaving them?"

"Vultures" Zell answered tersely.

Mishima called out "We're in luck! I found some shovels."

Zell began dragging one of the soldiers toward the forest and directed, "Let's start digging."

* * *

Rinoa's class on advanced diplomacy let out an hour early, due to the instructor having a meeting scheduled with Headmaster Cid. She realized that Akane would still be in class, so having nothing better to do she returned to her room.

Once she reached her room, she felt as though she was a cat on a hot tin roof. She didn't really feel as though she wanted to immediately launch into studying, as she and Akane had already made a date to study in the evening, and she really didn't have any other friends to spend time with.

Rinoa attempted to lie down to nap, but wasn't tired and soon became bored with just laying there. She began to brood about Squall's continued absence and feeling the worry and fear well up in herself, she thought, "This is not good! Obsessing isn't going to help anything."

"I know" she spoke aloud. "I'll go for a swim in the pool."

Reaching into her bureau, she pulled out her bikini, grabbed a towel and left her room and began the long trek down to the swimming pool.

The swimming pool was located on the sub-floor at the end of a corridor that also connected with the gym and a locker room. The pool was extremely large, overly chlorinated to a deep blue and often too cold in the winter and too warm in the summer.

Having reached the swimming pool area, Rinoa entered the locker room that was connected to both the gym and the pool. There were six rows of lockers with benches and a large shower room. There were strict rules regarding the time of the week the facilities could be used by the men and women upper-classmen and SeeDs, as there was no way to separate the facilities for the different sexes.

Since this was Saturday of the second week, Rinoa knew she was within the rules. The time alternated on an every other day basis. After quickly stripping off her uniform and underwear and placing all of her clothing in a locker, she pulled on her bikini, grabbed her towel and entered the swimming pool area. She crossed to the bleachers that were built for swim meets and placed her towel down. She then turned and, with a running start, jumped off the edge of the pool and did a giant cannon ball into the water. After a few minutes of vigorous swimming, she felt much calmer and knew she had made the right decision to get out of her room.

Since it was now so close to dinnertime, Rinoa realized it would be unlikely that anyone would enter the pool this late in the day, so she decided it would be more fun swimming in the nude. Swimming close by the wall, she paused and removed her bikini and placed it up on the floor outside of the pool. Swimming up and down the pool, Rinoa decided it did feel much more liberating and, besides, she thought with a grin, it was a bit _ risque. _

After thirty minutes, she began to tire and pulled herself out of the pool. She sat nude on the side of the pool dangling her legs in the water and, finding herself being sorely tempted to masturbate despite being in a public area, she decided she'd better go shower.

Retrieving her towel and bikini, she crossed the tile flooring and entered the locker room. Placing her bikini and towel on a bench, she entered the shower room and began to luxuriate under a hot shower. "Darn it!" she thought, "I forgot to bring my shampoo."

It was then she heard what sent shivers of terror straight down her spine. It was an unmistakable male voice! And then two of them and then three of them! "Oh no!" Rinoa thought, "It is Saturday, isn't it?"

Rinoa quickly turned the water off, so as to not be heard in the locker room. She crept along the wall of the shower room toward the entrance listening to hear if the voices were growing louder. She was hoping to possibly run out into the locker room and go down one row of lockers and stay hidden until either the male visitors left completely or went into the shower room and then quickly get to her clothes and get dressed and leave.

Not hearing any voices at all, Rinoa hoped they had either entered the pool area or the gym and she stepped out of the shower room and was immediately confronted by a naked Nida and two nude male upper-classmen standing right in front of her! Rinoa couldn't help but notice they developed instant erections as they stared at her totally nude body.

Rinoa screamed and lowered her body in an effort to hide as much of it as possible and dashed through them and to her locker.

"What the hell?!" someone exclaimed.

Rinoa seized her bikini and uniform and sprinted out of the locker room and into the corridor. Fortunately no one was coming down the corridor at the moment and Rinoa quickly pulled on her skirt and blouse and began running back to her room. As she moved along, she suddenly remembered with a start that they had missed a day of classes when the Garden laid over in Centra and that today was Sunday! 


	11. Once Again Chapter Eleven

Once Again

Chapter Eleven

_A Trepie's Revelation_

Quistis Drops Her Towel

Squall Takes a Fall

Akane Gets Flashed

The three upper-classmen students, whose main preoccupation in life appeared to be the adoration of the former instructor Quistis Trepe, sat around a back table in the cafeteria. They were so universally known in the Garden as Trepies that no one even remembered their actual names. It was late afternoon, and the Trepies had cut their last class to commiserate about the continued disappearance of Quistis.

Trepie #1, a physically well-put together young black man, was sprawled on a chair at one table while Trepie #2, an attractive brunette, young woman and Trepie #3, an attractive young woman with short brunette hair were at another table playing _ Triple Triad. _

According to the official Garden philosophy, _ Triple Triad _ playing was greatly discouraged, because the _ powers-that-be _ felt it led to conflicts between the students and prevented them from concentrating fully on their studies, although many people still played clandestinely and some of these people, it was rumored, were on the Garden staff.

"How do I love thee, Instructor Trepe? Let me count the ways" rhapsodized Trepie #1.

Trepie #2 retorted, while placing a _ Blitz _ card in the upper left corner of the board, "Will you please get serious? We're here because we are extremely worried about Instructor Trepe's continued absence from our lives."

"That's right," exclaimed Trepie #3 while placing a _ Mesmerize _ card directly under the _ Blitz _ and flipping it.

"Yeah, right" Trepie #1 responded sarcastically. "You all are so upset you're playing cards!"

While placing a _ Jelleye _ in the top middle of the board next to the _ Blitz _ and thereby flipping it back, Trepie #2 replied, "Yeah, but at least we're not making bad poetry."

Trepie #1 responded, "You all are just jealous because I can declare my romantic love for her."

Trepie #3 confessed, while placing an _ Abyss Worm _ card in the upper right corner flipping the _ Jelleye, _ "I too romantically love Instructor Trepe and I, for one, am not ashamed to admit it."

Trepie #1 exclaimed, "I'm shocked and appalled to hear such a thing!"

"Me too" replied Trepie #2 while placing a _ Jumbo Cactuar _ card in the middle space in the middle row underneath the _ Jelleye _ and beside the _ Mesmerize _ flipping both of them.

Trepie #1 continued, "How can you corrupt something as pure as our adoration for Instructor Trepe with something as mundane as physical lust?"

"Oh, grow up!" retorted Trepie #3 while playing an _ Elvoret _ card underneath the _ Mesmerize _ flipping it back.

"Well, I'm not going to listen to this trashy drivel any further," exclaimed Trepie #1 while gaining his feet. "I'm going to the former classroom of the Instructor Trepe and I am going to fall down on my knees and pray for her safe return," he said while striding from the cafeteria.

"Get him!" Trepie #2 complained while placing a _ Tiamat _ card in the right space on the middle row underneath the _ Abyss Worm _ flipping it.

Trepie #3 placed a _ Hexadragon _ card in the bottom right space underneath the _ Tiamat _ flipping it and stated, "I have nothing more to say about about any of this."

Trepie #2 placed a _ Fujin, Raijin _ card in the bottom middle space flipping the _ Hexadragon _ card and winning the game. "I win!" she shouted. "Give me that _ Elvoret," _ she excitedly declared while snatching it off the board.

"Hey!" exclaimed Trepie #3, "Your _ Fujin, Raijin _ card is autographed!"

"Yeah, I had them autograph it, when they came back to Garden."

"Oh, man! That's way cool! Wanna go again?" asked Trepie #3.

"Sure."

* * *

As Zell, Mishima and Kasumi began walking again, after the unpleasant task of burying the soldiers' bodily remains was completed, and, Zell had hidden the Galbadian Army vehicle as best he could, Kasumi commented, "I still don't understand why we couldn't take the truck. We could reach Dollet so much more quickly."

When Mishima heard Zell heavily sigh with frustration in prelude to speech, she quickly forestalled him by explaining, "We would be running a high risk, if we happened to pass any kind of Galbadian vehicles."

"Yeah, but so what?" Kasumi persisted, "We're apparently running a risk now."

"You know, Zell, she does have a point."

Zell nodded. "I wonder what in the hell is going on? I've never seen Galbadian soldiers act like that."

After they had traveled another mile, Zell suddenly exclaimed, "I've got it! They're looking for Squall and Quistis. They have orders to shoot to kill."

"Oh, that's not good," replied Kasumi.

"That's an understatement," declared Mishima.

When the sun began to set, they stopped and had their usual meal of dried fruit and nuts, and then took a short break. Kasumi commented, "I'll be so glad to get to Dollet, so I can get some real food. I'm really getting sick of eating dried fruit and nuts three times a day."

"I know that's right!" chimed in Zell. "What I wouldn't give for a hot dog right about now!"

Mishima joked, "Look at this way, Kasumi - at least you're losing some weight."

"Yeah" she agreed, "but I'm losing it where I don't want and not where I need."

As Zell appeared totally perplexed, Mishima leaned over and whispered "She means she's losing it in her breasts and not in her hips."

Zell immediately turned bright red and attempted to turn away. "Same old Zell" Mishima laughed aloud.

Zell jumped up and announced, "Let's get going" and set off on a brisk pace trailed by the two giggling young women.

* * *

Irvine and Akane sat at a table in the coffee shop waiting in vain for somebody to show up.

"Boy!" Akane exclaimed, "This sure is weird. Everybody's gone."

Irvine wondered aloud where Rinoa was. Akane answered, "I don't have the slightest idea. I haven't seen her since this morning, but I'll see her this evening. We have a date to study."

"Oh" Irvine replied disappointedly, "I thought maybe we could go to the training center this evening."

"Whatever for?" asked Akane suspiciously, remembering her last experience with Irvine.

Irvine went on to explain, "I think I lost my grandfather's heirloom watch on the balcony. I need to go look for it."

"Irvine, Selphie told me about that too."

"Darn that Selphie" Irvine thought.

Akane reached across the table and pinched Irvine on the right cheek. "Oh, you're so cute."

Irvine had the grace to blush slightly. Akane continued, "I think every young girl should have a friendship with an older gentleman to help guide her through life's twists and turns and I'm so glad that you're him for me."

"Older gentleman?" Irvine questioned.

Akane jumped up from the table, pulled Irvine up from his chair, intertwined her arm with his and exclaimed, "Come on, Sensei. Let's go eat!"

* * *

Seifer, Raijin and Fujin were eating their dinner in the cafeteria. Seifer had his plate stacked high with hot dogs, while Raijin and Fujin each had a bowl of Tomato Miso soup and a bean sprout salad on a side dish.

"Now let me get this straight," said Raijin.

"Take your time, Rage. We've got all night," quipped Seifer.

Ignoring that, Raijin turned to Fujin and said, "You're saying there's a spy in the Garden?"

"YES" replied Fujin.

"No way!" exclaimed Raijin.

"WAY!" retorted Fujin.

"We would know, no da," stated Raijin.

Seifer interjected "Rage, take a look around the room. Do you know anybody in here?"

"Yeah, I know Irvine."

"That's good, Rage. We can eliminate Irvine" Seifer went on sarcastically.

"Somebody would know, no da" Raijin continued unwilling to concede.

Seifer glanced at him and just shook his head. Standing up, Seifer ordered, "Let's go."

* * *

Squall and Quistis had just finished eating their dinner in one of the many cafeterias on campus. Pushing back from his empty plate, Squall asked "So where was your boyfriend today?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him all day. He wasn't in class. I wonder if it means anything?"

"Yeah," answered Squall, "It means you got dumped.

"Oh, you!" Quistis wagged her forefinger on her right hand in a playful manner at him. "So where's your precious Kyoko?"

"As a matter of fact, we have a study date tonight."

"Oh, yeah? Which subject?" Quistis sarcastically inquired.

"I believe it's anatomy 101."

Quistis replied "I don't remember seeing that course in your curriculum."

"It's special credit" Squall retorted smiling.

"I'm telling Rinoa on you" Quistis responded in the voice of a small child. "You're gonna get in trouble."

"She won't believe you."

Quistis sat forward. "Yes, she will, when I get finished."

"Well then, I guess I'd better behave myself." "Yes you should," agreed Quistis.

Squall arose and pulled Quistis's chair out, while she stood up and said, "I'm going back to the dorm and-."

"Take a shower" Squall finished her thought.

Both laughing, they left the cafeteria.

* * *

Quistis stepped back quickly into their dorm apartment wrapped in a large towel still damp from the shower. Locking the door behind her, she began to cross the room when two men, who had been hiding in the corners, stepped up suddenly behind her. One of them jammed a small handgun into her back and instructed "Quistis Trepe! Turn around very slowly, if you don't want to get hurt."

Quistis froze, her brain locked, her blood ran cold and it took every bit of her strength to retain her towel as adrenaline raced through her body. She slowly turned and observed two tall, dark haired men, who were dressed in black suits with white shirts and black shoes and, who so closely resembled each other, they might have been twins.

The one with the handgun explained, "Quistis Trepe, you are hereby under arrest for crimes unspecified against the internal security of the Empire of Galbadia. You will be transported to the Galbadian D-District Prison where you will await execution."

Quistis exclaimed, "I don't know what you're talking about or who this Quistis whatever is! My name is-."

"Save it!" the other man ordered. "Don't waste our time! Now let's go!" he ordered, clutching her roughly by the arm.

"Wait!" Quistis entreated, "At least allow me to get dressed."

"Fine" the man said, dropping her arm. "Go ahead."

"You don't think I'm getting dressed with you two standing there, do you?"

"Lady, personally I don't care what you do" the man with the gun retorted. "But if you think we're turning our back on you, you're wrong! Now either get dressed or let's go."

Quistis knelt down by her backpack and began to open it. The man holding the gun quickly crossed to her and stepped down hard on her hand pinning it to the floor. As pain shot through her hand, Quistis gritted her teeth against it refusing to cry out or show weakness.

The other man leaned down and opened the backpack pulling out Quistis's _ Save the Queen. _ "Pretty interesting piece of clothing, don't you think?" he joked displaying it to the man holding the gun.

"Quit screwing around and put it back." The man holding the gun continued, "Lady, I'm quickly running out of patience with you. Either get dressed or let's go! And if you try anything else, we'll just kill you here and be done with it."

Quistis, realizing she had just run out of options, stood up, dropped the towel on the dorm floor and turned her back and began to dress.

"Hmmm, nice" one of the men said.

* * *

Squall knocked on Kyoko's door wondering why she had insisted he pick her up at her room rather than just meet somewhere as they had always done previously.

"Come on in! It's open" called out the voice of Kyoko from within the room.

Squall opened the door with some trepidation; his mind whirling with possibilities of what Kyoko might have planned for him. So it was with a great sense of relief when he observed her fully dressed standing in the corner of the room holding a book.

"What's wrong?" she asked, "You look a little frightened."

"Oh, nothing" Squall answered. "I just wondered why we met here all of the sudden?"

"Oh, I get it" Kyoko said setting the book down and crossing the room toward him. "You think I had you come here, because I have plans to seduce you."

"That thought did occur to me," Squall admitted.

"What if I did?" she asked.

Squall answered, "I did tell you from the beginning I have a girlfriend in Deling City."

Suddenly Kyoko rushed at him and throwing her arms tightly around him, causing him to drop his guitar case, she said, "What was her name? Oh, yeah - Rinoa, isn't it?"

Before Squall could respond his shocked surprise at hearing Rinoa's name when he had never mentioned her to Kyoko, the door suddenly burst open and two dark haired men dressed in black suits, white shirts and black shoes ran into the room. Squall attempted to whirl quickly, while Kyoko hung grimly onto him. Squall jammed his right foot down on one of her feet hard enough to cause her to weaken her grasp and he flung her off and reached to open his guitar case, when one of the men stepped up and brought the butt of his handgun down hard on Squall's forehead knocking him unconscious.

When Squall regained consciousness, his head pounding with enormous pain, he realized the two men and Kyoko didn't yet recognize he was awake so he laid quietly in order to regain some strength and possibly spring a surprise attack and still be able to obtain _ Lion Heart. _ He needed to warn Quistis! "Good work" one of the men complimented Kyoko.

"I always do good work. You could have been a little quicker, you know. He almost broke my foot!"

Squall quickly rolled to his guitar case unclasping and flipping it open, while he rose to one knee. The man with the gun began moving towards him and Squall reached inside the case pulling out the guitar and rising up swung it at him hitting him squarely in the face causing the gun to discharge wildly. Squall then grabbed the false bottom and smashed it straight down on the head of the second man knocking him to the floor. As Squall reached down for _ Lion Heart _ the man with the gun regained control of himself and ordered "Stop right there!" Squall never hesitated, but gripped _ Lion Heart _ and, as he perceived the man preparing to shoot, he brought it straight down ** Bang ** over the man's gun arm severing it just above the elbow. The man in black screamed in agony and fell back with his blood pumping out of his stump where his arm had once been and drenching Kyoko with blood, who was doing some screaming of her own. Squall quickly crossed to the door and opened it just to have a gun stuck into the middle of his forehead by a man in the hallway, who ordered "Alright gunblade boy, drop your weapon now or the next time you wake up, you might wake up dead!" Squall dropped _ Lion Heart _ to the floor with a clatter.

* * *

Rinoa and Akane sat on opposite ends of Rinoa's bed with Akane's textbook lying in the middle.

"What's your test in tomorrow?"

"Elementary magic" answered Akane. "It's so stupid. I already know all this. My father taught me all this a long time ago."

"Is your father a military man?" Rinoa asked curious.

"No, not really." As Akane appeared hesitant for some reason, Rinoa decided not to press it. "Well, let's get started" she said picking up the study sheet.

"Where were you this afternoon?" Akane suddenly asked.

Rinoa flushed slightly before answering, "Oh, I was tired and came back here and took a nap." Rinoa always felt uncomfortable lying to her friends.

Akane glanced over at Rinoa's bureau where Rinoa had carelessly thrown her wet bikini when arriving back from the swimming pool. It was dripping water onto the floor and a small puddle had formed.

"Why is your bathing suit wet?"

"Uh, because I wore it in the shower," Rinoa badly lied.

"You were wearing your bathing suit in the shower! Since when did you become so modest?"

Rinoa exclaimed, "You're just trying to avoid studying. Now what's the answer to question one?"

Several questions and answers later, Rinoa noticed that Akane began to blush furiously and had looked away.

"Uh, Rinoa. I guess it shouldn't really bother me since there are no guys here, but why aren't you wearing any underwear?"

Rinoa glanced down and noticed her short skirt had ridden up dangerously high on her thighs. "Oh Great Hyne!" she thought while quickly pulling her skirt down. Rinoa had fallen asleep shortly after returning from the pool and had only awakened a couple of minutes before Akane's arrival and had never once realized until this very moment that she had failed to put on new underclothing to replace the underwear she left in the locker room.

Rinoa arose, quickly crossing to her bureau, and, with her back to Akane, reached into her bureau drawer and pulled out some panties stepping into them quickly and pulling them up under her skirt.

As she turned back toward the bed, Akane asked again, "How come you weren't wearing any underwear?"

Rinoa couldn't think of one plausible lie and suddenly blurted out "I forgot to put some on this morning."

Akane appeared to seriously consider this ridiculous answer and then rejected it, saying "Are you cheating on Squall?"

"What!" shouted Rinoa. "Where would get such an idea? I'm not cheating on Squall. I love Squall very much!"

Akane explained, "The reason I asked is nobody knows where you were this afternoon and now tonight you're not wearing any underwear, which you seem unable to explain."

Rinoa again attempted to deflect the young teenager, who was beginning to highly irritate her. "Let's get back to studying."

Akane ignored her and responded, "Because I was afraid Squall wouldn't want to meet your best friend, if you were cheating on him."

"Akane!!" Rinoa practically screamed.

"Okay, okay. What number are we on?"

* * *

Zell, Kasumi and Mishima walked until the moon was high in the night sky and then Kasumi announced, "I can't walk another step. I'm not saying we have to stop, but I am saying that one of you will have to carry me."

"Okay" Zell laughed, "Point taken. Let's stop for the night."

The young SeeDs scouted the area searching for as much protection as they could locate and finally decided on an area behind some huge rocks. They could not risk a fire. Because of the flat terrain, a fire could be spotted from miles away.

Mishima volunteered for the first watch and, as Kasumi and Zell were falling asleep, she pointed toward the highway which lay about ten miles west and said "Straight up that road is Dollet. We've got about another eight hours to walk, if we continue to make good time."

"Oh thank Hyne" Kasumi muttered as she fell immediately asleep.

"Sleep sweet" Mishima whispered to the already slumbering Zell.

In the morning, the three young SeeDs once again arose at the first sign of daylight and silently ate their meal of dried fruits and nuts. They then set off walking again toward the City of Dollet.

* * *

Irvine, Rinoa, Akane and the pigtail girl were sitting around their early morning coffee shop table waiting for the second shift for breakfast to be announced.

Irvine asked, "Rinoa, what are you looking so excited about?"

Before Rinoa could answer, Akane glared at her and announced, "She's got a new boyfriend!"

"What?!" Irvine and the pigtail girl exclaimed in unison.

"I do not!" shouted Rinoa attracting a few stares from people at other tables. Irvine suggested she lower her voice.

Rinoa attempted to answer Irvine's initial question. "I'm excited because-."

Akane interrupted saying, "Get her to tell you why she wasn't wearing any underwear last night."

Rinoa furiously hissed "Akane, if you don't shut up about that right this instant, you can leave this table immediately."

Rinoa could feel her anger subsiding somewhat and glanced around the table. Irvine appeared pruriently curious about Akane's statement and the pigtail girl was blushing.

Rinoa answered Irvine. "I'm excited because we're going to Trabia Garden and it holds a lot of special memories for me."

"Yeah, I guess for me too," Irvine agreed.

Rinoa finally allowed herself to glance at Akane, who was appearing rather subdued and once again Rinoa's heart went out to the cute, irrepressible teenager and she reached across the table and clasped Akane's hand before she could pull away and expressed, "I'm really sorry, Akane. I didn't mean it. I'm just a little on edge about not hearing anything about Squall yet."

Tears began to roll down Akane's face and she sobbed "I'm sorry too, Rinoa. I'm just in a bad mood this morning and I took it out on you." Rinoa, observing, Akane's tears, began unaccountably to have tears roll down her face also.

"Ladies, please!" Irvine pleaded, "Pull yourselves together. They've just called our shift in the cafeteria." Rinoa stood up and, moving around the table, pulled Akane up from her chair and hugged her.

Irvine arose and asked the pigtail girl "Shall we leave this mutual admiration society to wend their way behind us at their own leisure, in order that we don't miss out on the most important meal of the day?" When the pigtail girl nodded yes, Irvine slipped around behind her chair, pulled it out for her and took her arm and helped her up and escorted her out of the coffee shop followed by the weeping Rinoa and Akane. Many people in the coffee shop were disappointed the morning's entertainment had just left.

When the four of them were moving up the corridor to the first floor, Irvine glanced behind him and asked, "Rinoa, why does Akane know you weren't wearing underwear last night?"

As Akane giggled, Rinoa snapped "You shut up too, Irvine!"

When they were strolling into the cafeteria, Cid and Edea were approaching them on their way out. Irvine paused in preparation to greet Edea when he suddenly heard Rinoa ask, "Akane, where are you going?"

Irvine turned his head to observe Akane already out in the corridor and moving the other direction. Akane called out "I left something important in my room. I'll catch up with you all later."

"Strange" thought Irvine, "She really is scared of Cid and Edea. I wonder why?" 


	12. Once Again Chapter Twelve

Once Again

Chapter Twelve

_Dollet at Last_

Nida Saves the Day

Nearing the end of morning staff meeting, Xu announced, "We should reach Trabia Garden sometime in the late afternoon, although, just before I came into this meeting Nida informed me the Garden was losing some power. He told me it was nothing of major consequence as of yet, but it felt a little sluggish on turns. Would you like me to call him in, so he can elaborate?"

"No, that won't be necessary," answered Cid. "Just be certain to monitor the situation closely with Nida today" he ordered.

"Of course," Xu promised.

Cid asked, "If we continue to lose power, do we have anybody that can remedy the problem?"

"Not really, Cid. It's too bad we're so far from F.H., because I know their technicians could help. If we can arrive at Trabia Garden and, the fault somehow lies in our computer system, I think their Tech Squad could help us."

"Well, then let's hope we can make it all the way there" Cid replied. "Tell Nida to cut the speed down and not push it so hard. Anything else? Okay, the meeting is adjourned."

* * *

Selphie woke up still not feeling a hundred percent due to her drinking experience of the day before. "Never again!" she thought. "I hope Irvine never hears about this!"

Selphie, noting that Brian was still sleeping thought to herself "This guy certainly likes to sleep. Oh, well. I may as well get dressed." Selphie quickly donned her usual apparel and after checking her boots, she went into the bathroom and performed her necessary duties.

Coming downstairs, she greeted Sayoko, "Good Morning." Sayoko turned and greeted her in return and then offered her breakfast, which Selphie declined claiming an upset stomach to which Sayoko nodded knowingly having heard the entire story from Zone earlier in the morning.

As Selphie moved toward the front door, Sayoko informed her, "Zone was by early this morning and he and Watts will be out of town all day."

"Did he say why?"

"No" Sayoko answered, "Actually he was quite mysterious about the whole thing."

"Well, you know Zone - he's always mysterious."

As Sayoko laughed, Selphie declared "I think I'll go out anyway and take a look around town."

As she opened the front door, Sayoko called out "Be extra careful!"

"I'm always careful" Selphie answered as she shut the front door behind her, but then found herself wondering if that were really true.

Selphie strolled all around Timber and discovered nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, she thought ruefully, she didn't even observe anything interesting. Due to her present debilitated physical condition because of her recent drinking episode, she tired quickly and decided to return to Sayoko's house. It was already past noon and she was hungry, but assumed she had already missed lunch. She was just going to have to wait until dinner.

* * *

At high noon Zell, Kasumi and Mishima stopped and ate their noon meal of nuts and dried fruit, while Zell maintained a close eye on the horizon, since there was absolutely no land cover in the area. When they had finished eating and were taking a short break, Kasumi asked resignedly "How much further?"

Mishima answered "A couple of hours."

"You've been saying that for days" Zell smiled.

"Sometimes I say it for weeks" Mishima quipped back.

Zell stood up knocking the dust from his body. "I could use a shower."

"Well, why didn't you say something yesterday when we passed that lake? Kasumi and I could have stood guard while you bathed. Of course, we would have had to keep a close eye on you since those lakes can be dangerous" Mishima replied while winking at Kasumi.

Zell blushed and said curtly "Let's go" and set off once again being followed by the two giggling young women.

* * *

Mishima proved to be as good as her word, because two hours later they entered the general vicinity of the City of Dollet.

"Oh thank Hyne," whined Kasumi. "Now I can take a shower!"

"Wrong!" Zell replied sternly. "I think you've already proven that staying at the hotel is a bad idea."

Zell glanced back at the young SeeD and recognizing the hurt expression on Kasumi's face softened somewhat and said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to come down on you."

Mishima immediately stepped up behind Kasumi and began to massage her shoulders while saying, "You know Zell has always been overzealous! Get it? - Overzellous."

Zell moaned at the weak pun and Kasumi managed a small smile. Mishima explained, "I have some childhood friends who are involved in the resistance. I'm going to go in and try to find them. They may know what happened to Shinji."

"Okay" Zell agreed. "We'll be waiting in those woods over there" he explained while pointing due north.

"Good luck," Kasumi called out to Mishima as she began striding down the highway toward Dollet.

* * *

Squall was lying on a metal bunk in a cell in the D-District Prison. Actually calling it a cell was a misnomer - it was actually an extremely small oblong box with just enough room for his metal bunk, which was attached to a wall and a metal toilet with no lid that stood in the corner. There was barely enough room to stand, much less walk around.

Every part of his body ached with massive bruises already forming from the savage beating he received after being forced to drop his weapon. In fact, he believed, if Kyoko (that bitch) hadn't finally pulled herself together enough to apply a tourniquet to the bleeding man's arm and then come out in the hall to pull them off him, he'd be dead now.

How was he going to escape this? Last time he was an inmate in the D-District Prison, he received help to escape. Now it was only him. "Or was Quistis here too?" he wondered. He hoped she'd gotten away, but in his heart he realized that was probably a pipe dream, because of the ruthless efficiency that led to his capture. "I just pray she's alive" he thought drifting off to a much needed sleep.

* * *

Quistis was actually more fortunate, even though at the moment she didn't realize it. She was in a cell with four other women and there was plenty of room to walk around. Referring to this as a cell was also a misnomer, because there were no bars to provide a view. There was no way of knowing about anything outside of the huge compartment that consisted of twenty foot metal walls and no bunks or any other places to sit or lay down, other than the hard metal floor. There was one toilet sans lid open to public view in the corner of the room. The lights, which were located high up along the wall near the ceiling, were on twenty-four hours a day causing it to be extremely difficult to sleep.

So far Quistis hadn't said a word to her cellmates. Three of them were sitting along a far wall communicating in low tones among themselves, while the fourth one sat as solitary as Quistis. She could only recognize what one of them had probably been arrested for, since the woman in question was wearing a dirty blonde wig and a extremely short blue skirt similar to the one Rinoa favored except she had forgotten to add the long shorts Rinoa wore. Quistis considered herself fortunate, as she sat across from her, that at least the woman in question was wearing a thong beneath the short skirt.

Quistis wondered how the Galbadian Secret Police has discovered them so easily in such a short time. "I hope Squall was able to get away," she thought. "I never thought the end would come this ignominiously," she thought resignedly, "but I guess it will."

* * *

Entering Sayoko's house, after the daughter opened the door for her, Selphie noticed immediately that Brian had finally arisen for the day. Greeting him briefly, she went straight up to the bedroom, but, unfortunately as far as Selphie was concerned, he followed her upstairs and spent the afternoon attempting to make small talk with her, which she ignored as much as possible because he mostly was asking her questions about the pigtail girl.

After dinner, Selphie announced she was exhausted and was going to bed. She decided to take a quick shower in an attempt to feel better and, after toweling off haphazardly, she slipped into bed still damp. She wondered if everything was going okay with Zell, Mishima and Kasumi. Before drifting off to sleep she thought wearily "This certainly was a wasted day."

* * *

Irvine and Rinoa were sitting at a table in the coffee shop late in the afternoon before dinner.

Rinoa said, "I wonder where Akane is? I know her classes are over."

Irvine asked, "Should we wait until the last dinner shift is called to see if she shows up?"

"Yeah, let's do that. I still feel badly about the way I came off at her this morning. I hope her not showing up has anything to do with that."

Irvine asked, "Did you notice how weird she acted this morning when she saw Cid and Edea? I still say there's something going on with her."

Rinoa's voice took on a hard edge when she answered, "She's just fifteen years old! Isn't that strange enough for you? Or don't you remember being fifteen and particularly with her always being around older people like us. She really needs some friends her own age. I wonder what happened to that boy Arnaz? I haven't seen him since that day at the beach in Centra."

Irvine exclaimed, "Yeah, that's another strange thing about her - that kid Arnaz disappears and she doesn't even seem to notice."

"Okay, okay" Irvine replied throwing his hands up in self defense as Rinoa lunged at him across the table and punched him hard in the bicep. "I won't say anymore about it."

Rinoa smiled sweetly at him from across the table. Suddenly the Garden lurched and then swerved drastically to the left throwing Rinoa off her chair and down to the floor, while it flung Irvine face down on the table.

"What the hell?!" Irvine shouted.

* * *

Up on the bridge, Xu was shouting to make herself heard over the unpleasant loud whine the Garden was producing and the sound of the wind rushing by the shatterproof circular front window that wrapped around three-fourths of the bridge, as the Garden plunged earthbound.

"More to the right! Keep going! Now try to level it up some" Xu shouted at Nida.

"Try the brake!" she screamed. "Try it again. Good, now try to level it up again."

Nida stood at the controls, which were twice again taller than he, pulling one and then the other and then back pushing one. The Garden's speed downward had decreased somewhat, but it was still headed down!

"Okay!" Xu shouted, "Keep trying to level it up. Watch out for those woods on the right!"

"Okay, okay" Xu continued to shout, "You missed the woods! Good, keep trying to level it up!"

The Garden landed with a hard jolt that threw Xu off balance crashing into Nida, who spun and caught her forward progress.

"Good job, Nida" Xu complimented.

"Thanks. It appears that Trabia Garden is two miles due west of us."

Xu reached down and pressed the bridge intercom button.

* * *

Once the Garden settled on the ground, Irvine crossed quickly to Rinoa's side and helped her regain her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I think so," Rinoa answered.

"Wow!" Irvine exclaimed, "What the hell was that?"

"We crashed" Rinoa replied quietly. All around Rinoa, students and SeeDs were picking themselves and tables and chairs off the floor.

Suddenly the intercom clicked on and all activity ceased in the coffee shop. "Seifer Almasy and Rinoa Heartilly, please report to the bridge immediately. I repeat, Seifer Almasy and Rinoa Heartilly, please report to the bridge immediately. That is all."

Irvine stood there with his mouth agape for a second before protesting, "Hey, what about me? Why am I always the one left out?"

Rinoa thought "Me and Seifer?! Good Grief! Now what?"

* * *

All around the cafeteria, students and SeeDs were still picking themselves and tables and chairs off the floor, where they had been thrown. Seifer, Raijin and Fujin had remained comfortably seated at their table and, in fact, Seifer hadn't even missed one bite of his hot dog during the forced landing. After the intercom message was delivered, Raijin said "They just called you to the bridge, no da."

"I know" replied Seifer flatly while preparing to stuff half a hot dog into his mouth.

"What'cha gonna do, no da?"

Seifer stood up. "I'm going to report to the bridge."

Raijin exclaimed, "Good luck, no da!"

"UH, OH" Fujin declared.

Seifer leaned down over Raijin and asked, "What did I tell you about luck?"

"Uh, uh" Raijin stammered attempting to remember, "Oh, yeah. Luck is only for the incompetent."

"That's right" Seifer replied while pinching Raijin's cheek. "I don't need luck."

Seifer turned and walked out of the cafeteria, while Raijin shouted behind him, "Well, it couldn't hurt to have some, no da!"

* * *

Rinoa was already waiting in front of the first floor elevator, when Seifer came sauntering up the staircase. Rinoa glanced at him out of the corner of her left eye and perceived he was standing staring straight ahead.

She thought, "How long does it take this elevator to get here?"

Finally she spoke "Hi, Seifer."

"Hi."

"How are you?" Rinoa asked.

"Fine."

The elevator landed on the first floor and the doors opened. Rinoa stepped on first and moved to the back. Seifer got on and punched the #3 button. They rode up in complete silence. When the elevator stopped on the third floor and the doors opened, Seifer stepped off and then Rinoa. Xu was waiting for them.

Xu explained, "We are two miles due west of Trabia Garden. We are leaving immediately to walk there."

Rinoa asked, "Do I have time to change out of this skimpy uniform?"

"No, it is imperative we arrive there before it grows too late. The later it becomes, the more dangerous the snowfields will be. Now let's go."

* * *

Seifer and Xu appeared to be vying for the position of point man, as they moved across the Bika Snowfield toward Trabia Garden with Rinoa lagging behind a poor third. It had been a few months since Rinoa had been involved in any sort of fighting outside of hand-to-hand combat class and she was feeling more than a little anxious. Plus she was already starting to freeze in her short skirt. "Darn that Xu," Rinoa thought, "wouldn't let me change into my warmer outfit. What does she care? She's wearing that long woolen skirt."

A sudden thought occurred to Rinoa, who asked, "Xu, why didn't we just travel in one of our trucks?"

"Because" Xu answered, "without special snow tires our trucks would become immediately bogged down to their axles in this snow."

Rinoa continued to grumble to herself, so when a Gayla and two bite bugs attacked she was caught slightly off guard and was nearly hit by a spew of poison from the Gayla. A Gayla was a particularly nasty flying monster with the ability to place a person asleep and then hit them with a fiery poison that could conceivably kill a person. The bite bugs were mostly annoying, although they could hit a person with a minor poison that was not pleasant.

Being slightly off guard, Rinoa allowed Seifer and Xu the opportunity to leap forward and attack the Gayla while she remained back and killed both bite bugs with her _ Shooting Star. _ After the Gayla lay dead at Seifer's feet, Seifer turned and glanced at Rinoa. As she had been slacking off, she felt instantly guilty and glanced away.

Suddenly three Mesmerizes, who resembled giant unicorns, except the growth in the middle of their foreheads was long and curved and deadly sharp, bounded out of one of the forests right in front of their path. Seifer leaped forward killing the one on the far right and then moving quickly sideways avoided the attack of the middle one, while Xu swung her bola and brought it down on top of the head of the middle one breaking its horn off, but not finishing it. As Rinoa threw her long range weapon _ Shooting Star _ at the one on the outside left killing it, the middle one dashed past Xu and Seifer and head butted Rinoa in the pit of her stomach slightly breaking her skin and knocking her roughly to the ground. When Seifer finished the last one, Xu jumped back and quickly cast a cura on Rinoa healing her injury.

The main trouble with fighting, Rinoa realized, was that it caused her to perspire heavily and then once the fighting was finished, the perspiration froze leaving her even colder. As they continued their journey towards Trabia Garden, Rinoa's teeth chattering became even more pronounced until Seifer paused, spun around and walked back to Rinoa. Shrugging his opened long military coat off his shoulders, he handed it to Rinoa. "Here put this on."

"Oh, Seifer. I can't wear your coat. You need it."

"Look, your chattering is driving me crazy. You sound like a one-woman band. Now put this on right now."

"Thank you" Rinoa expressed donning the coat. The coat was so long on Rinoa, it was dragging through the snow and Rinoa realized she needed to pay close attention now or she might trip on the coat and fall head long onto her face.

Suddenly Trabia Garden sprang into view. It sat glistening in the winter moonlight, as if something out of a fairy tale. Rinoa immediately recognized there had been immense renovation on it in the months, since she was here last. For one thing, there was a front gate that one could enter rather than having to climb up a wall to enter their Garden.

They quickly hurried to the front gate, where they encountered two SeeDs acting as guards. Xu quickly identified who they were and the SeeDs allowed them in and one of the SeeDs offered to escort them to the Headmaster's office. Xu turned to Rinoa and Seifer and advised, "You two wait here. I'll try to do this as quickly as possible." And then Xu was escorted down the corridor.

Rinoa took the opportunity to return Seifer his coat and to scrutinize all the changes that had been wrought since her last visit there. There was now a complete ceiling on the first floor and, from her vantage point near the front gate, it appeared as if the entire first floor had been completely renovated.

From a couple of doors being left ajar on the first floor, Rinoa could perceive that these rooms were now bedrooms. Xu was as good as her word and she returned to the front gate in a very few minutes. Rinoa asked "Well?"

Xu responded, "They understand our situation and they are going to send their Tech Squad over tomorrow to help us. But there's something better than that - they're going to give us a ride back to our Garden in one of their trucks."

"Oh, thank Hyne!" Rinoa thought.

* * *

Far later in the evening, after three of Quistis's cellmates had lain down and fallen asleep, the quiet woman in the corner stood up and approached Quistis. "What are you in for?" the woman asked. Close up, Quistis could see the woman didn't look as young as Quistis had originally thought, but she was still an attractive looking red haired woman in her mid-thirties. Not knowing who might be a Galbadian plant, Quistis remained in her _ role. _

"I have no idea what is going on. I'm a student at East Academy University and they seem to have me confused with a woman, who is some kind of mercenary."

The red haired woman replied in a flat tone "Uh, huh. Yeah, I know kid. It's funny, there isn't a person in here that's guilty of anything. It's all been a horrible mistake."

Quistis protested, "No, I mean it. I'm really just a student."

"Save it for the interrogation room" the red haired woman responded cynically. "When you're ready to be honest, I just might be able to help you."

The red haired woman returned to the far corner and reseated herself.

* * *

Night had fallen completely and Mishima still hadn't returned. Zell had built a large fire to keep the wild animals and monsters at bay, while Kasumi slept on the forest floor. Zell felt sorry for the small, young female SeeD, whose first assignment had been so dangerous and demanding and promised to possibly become worse. He was also worried about Mishima.

Suddenly hearing some rustling in the woods near by, he sprang into his attack position when Mishima walked into the slight clearing around the fire.

"Don't scare me like that," she laughed.

"I'm so glad you're back. I was really worried."

"No need to worry" Mishima reassured him, "I know my way around Dollet."

Mishima was carrying three bundles that she laid on the ground. She leaned down and lightly shook Kasumi awake. "I've brought dinner," she informed them.

Kasumi heard the word _ dinner _ and quickly sat up wide-awake. "Oh man" she moaned, "I can't believe it. It smells so good."

Mishima handed one of the bundles to Zell, who quickly opened his. "Hot dogs" shouted Zell.

Mishima warned "Zell, keep your voice down."

As they sat voraciously eating the first real food they had had in the last three days, Mishima offered them a detailed account of her day in Dollet.

"I was finally able to make contact late in the day with one of the resistance members. Naturally enough, these people are extremely paranoid. There are Galbadian soldiers and Secret Police everywhere in town. Although I don't know what it is, but something has changed. The trains seem to be running on a limited basis now and they're no longer checking everybody's I.D. all the time. Anyway, like I was saying - I've arranged a meet with their leader for tomorrow morning early."

"That's great!" exclaimed Kasumi. As they were finished eating, Zell gathered their trash and began to dig a hole with his hands. Kasumi glanced at him and said glibly "Afraid to be a litterbug?"

As Mishima giggled, Zell growled, "No, I don't want to leave any evidence we were here, Kasumi."

"Oh" she responded in a small voice.

"Well, I don't know about you all, but I'm going to sleep" Mishima declared lying down on the forest floor.

"I'll take the first watch," Zell volunteered as Kasumi stretched out on the ground.

A few moments later, as Zell sat on the forest floor observing the two sleeping, beautiful young women, he hoped the morrow would bring them happier news.

* * *

Mishima was as good as her word. By the time the sun had risen, she had left on her trip returning to Dollet. Kasumi was on watch as Mishima left and she wished her luck. As Zell was still sleeping, Kasumi decided to allow _ the excitable boy _ to sleep late, since there was nothing they could do until Mishima returned.

The resistance people mainly resided close to the water down by the beach area in Dollet. Dollet was a seacoast town. Prone to being attacked from the direction of the sea, many years earlier the City of Dollet had erected huge metal batteries that were built along almost the entire length of nearly half the city. There were some small docks near the entrance to the city, but there was no harbor deep enough for anything other than a small craft to berth at. This left a small beach area that only small crafts could land at. Because many of the people in the resistance earned their living from running weapons to other resistance groups, it was only natural they lived in the immediate area of the beach. It also allowed them an opportunity to escape by boat, if a Galbadian sweep suddenly occurred.

When Mishima entered Dollet that morning, she strode down, what many people who resided in Dollet refer to as the back way, but in actuality it lay parallel to the main business district. The beach area itself was actually the back of Dollet.

Mishima walked down a curving road by a small dock area. Looking out toward the water, she observed a variety of larger vessels bobbing up and down on the water. The sea was rough that morning as the wind had increased. It was cold by the water. Mishima shivered in her skimpy outfit.

As she moved down the red-bricked streets, she kept a close eye out for anything suspicious, but it was so early yet there really wasn't any activity to speak of. She walked almost all of the way down to the beach area and then stepped inside a large church, the site of the assignation. She had only received this interview, because she had known the resistance leader since childhood.

She stepped inside the church from the front foyer and distinguished him kneeling in a back row. Mishima entered the row he was in and knelt beside him. She had already been instructed to not use his name because of security reasons.

"I hear you're working for Garden now" he said. "How is it?"

"It's good" Mishima answered. "it's exciting. It's never boring."

"Would it be exciting, if you were hired by Galbadia?" he cynically asked.

"Galbadia would never hire us, because they consider us their enemy and, even if they tried to hire us, we would never agree."

"Good answer" he replied. "Now what do you need to ask me?"

Mishima went on to explain to him the entire original mission and the consequences from such. "So do you know," Mishima finally asked, "anything about where Shinji might be?"

"As a matter of fact, I do" he answered. "I know where he's at."

Mishima's heart skipped a beat when she asked "Can you take me to him?"

"Certainly, but he won't know you. He was badly injured in the police raid. If it wasn't for the fact the whoe situation was completely chaotic in the hotel that night, plus your comrade running drew a lot of attention from the Secret Police away from Shinji, he would probably be dead right now. As it was, we have personnel in the hotel and they were able to whisk him out of there. But he has suffered severe internal damage and we don't have much of a doctor here."

Mishima replied, "We have a very good doctor at the Garden."

"Where's your Garden now?"

"I'm not sure" Mishima admitted. "But if we can get to Balamb, I think we can get to it."

"Oh, we can certainly transport you to Balamb. In fact, the sooner the better, because his health is continuing to fail and it's growing increasingly more difficult for us to keep him hidden."

"Okay" Mishima informed him. "I'm going to go back and inform my comrades and then we'll all come in. Can I meet you back here in, say, four hours?"

"Yes, that would be fine" he answered.

"Okay, thanks, see you then."

Mishima arose and left the church.

* * *

Xu was explaining in morning staff meeting. "The upshot of our visit to Trabia Garden yesterday evening is I talked to their Headmaster, who was very cooperative."

Cid interrupted "Yes, I've known him for years. "What _ is _ his name. It's-."

"Dyne Barrett" interrupted Xu in return.

"That's right."

Xu suggested, "I think it would be nice if you went over to visit him during our stay here and offer him personally our gratitude."

Cid replied, slightly frustrated "Since I don't feel as though I want to trudge through two miles of snow, fighting monsters as you all did last night I think I'll pass on that."

Xu, completely understanding this was just an excuse, so Cid could remain reclusive as ever, replied, "You don't have to do that, Cid. You can take one of the Trabia Garden trucks over. They're going to be traveling back and forth all day."

Cid answered, "Well, we'll see. Go ahead with your report."

"Their Tech Squad has already arrived and is currently working on our problem. At my suggestion, some of Trabia Garden's upper-classmen are sitting in today in some of our more advanced classes and I have sent some of our students and SeeDs over to Trabia Garden to help with their construction. They have made great strides in the last few months. They have completely renovated the first floor and are framing the second."

"Good, good" Cid commented rather absent-mindedly. "Is there anything else?"

As Xu and Fujin remained silent, Cid announced, "Meeting adjourned." 


	13. Once Again Chapter Thirteen

Once Again

Chapter Thirteen

_Brian's Treat_

The Winhill Massacre

Mishima Takes a Bath

The Unmasking of a Spy

Selphie woke up and glancing around the room observed Brian must have already arisen since his bed was empty. She decided to forego showering, as she had taken one the previous evening and also because she felt the need to dress quickly since Brian was already up.

Arising from the bed, Selphie padded across the room and pulled out her one clean pair of underwear from her knapsack. "Darn!" she thought, "I forgot to do laundry yesterday." Pulling her panties up quickly, she reached over and picked up her yellow dress and just had it poised over her head to slip on, when the door open and Brian entered the room!

Standing half nude attired only in her panties, Selphie snarled at the frozen figure of Brian who appeared to be mesmerized by the sight of her bare breasts. "Don't you ever knock?"

Brian quickly retreated closing the door. Selphie, blushing furiously, thought "Geez! I hope Rinoa doesn't hear about this."

When Selphie finally went downstairs after doing her makeup and hair, she discovered Zone and Watts waiting. She noticed Brian was refusing to make eye contact with her.

"Serves him right!" Selphie thought.

Watts bowed and explained, "We were wondering if you and your comrade would like to travel with us to Winhill? We're continuing to search for our missing members."

Selphie glanced at Brian to ascertain what he thought of the invitation, but since he was still refusing eye contact she decided _ to hell with it _ and replied, "We'd love to."

"But Selphie." Brian finally looked at her. "What if Zell and them come back?"

Selphie answered, "Then they'll come here and Sayoko will tell them where we are and they'll wait. Isn't that right?" asked Selphie nodding at the Forest Fox leader.

"Yes, I'll be here."

Selphie glanced at Watts, since she was attempting to avoid the adoring expression on Zone's face and asked, "But how are we going to get there? There are no trains that run to Winhill."

"That's a surprise," Watts answered.

"Come on outside and we'll show you" explained Zone.

Once they were outside, Selphie observed two 750cc _ Deling City Special _ motorcycles resting on their kickstands. "Oh wow!" Selphie exclaimed. She realized the _ Deling City Special _ was the best motorcycle manufactured. "Where did you get those?" she asked.

"We have our ways," answered Zone mysteriously.

"Do you still want to go?" Watts asked.

"Of course" Selphie exclaimed, but Brian asked, "Aren't these things dangerous?"

Watts answered, "In the hands of a skilled driver, they're no more dangerous than an automobile."

Selphie snapped at Brian, "If you're frightened, stay here."

Brian flushed and answered, "I'm not scared. I'll go."

"Good" Watts replied, while mounting one of the motorcycles and lifting up the kickstand with his left foot.

Zone started the second motorcycle and naturally insisted Selphie be the one to ride behind him. After Selphie swung her leg over the back of the bike and sat down, Zone adjusted her hands across his chest and started the engine. The vibrating of the huge motorcycle, which Selphie was hugging with her thighs to maintain her balance, was physically exciting to her.

After Brian climbed on behind Watts who had started his bike, Zone gave Watts thumbs up and they roared down the main street and out of Timber

* * *

Squall didn't know how long he had been there or what time it was or even what day it was when they came to interrogate him. The first thing he realized he was being flung off his bunk, where he had finally fallen asleep exhausted. Squall looked up from the cell floor to perceive an extremely tall man wearing a black mask that covered his eyes and the bridge of his nose.

"What's this?" Squall asked, "Some kind of costume party?"

The man drew back his right foot covered by a large black military boot and planted it hard into Squall's ribs causing him extreme pain, because of the previous beating he had recently experienced and literally knocking the breath out of him. "Take care, boy," the man replied. "Keep a civil tongue in your head, if you wish to live to see tomorrow."

As Squall lay gasping for breath, the tall man squatted athletically resting on his toes, picked up Squall's head by his hair and explained, "I'm seeking information. Do you suppose you can help me?"

Squall managed to answer in a raspy voice. "Depends on what you want to know."

The man viciously slammed Squall's face into the cell floor causing him literally to see stars and almost passing out from the blow to his forehead. The man arose and retorted, "I already advised you to keep a civil tongue in your head. I don't believe you're listening to me. Tomorrow I will return and I won't be nearly as patient as I was today. You have until then to reconsider your attitude or the consequences will not be pleasant, I can assure you."

The man spun and tapped on the cell door. When the cell door was opened by a guard, the tall man quickly exited. Squall lay on the cell floor moaning in pain.

* * *

Kasumi sincerely hoped that Mishima returned soon, before Zell drove her completely out of her mind. Zell was pacing back and forth on the forest floor and had been for the past hour.

"Zell, will you please knock it off!" Kasumi entreated.

"I just can't help it. I'm worried about Mishima."

"Mishima is fine" Kasumi reassured him. "Not only is she able to take care of herself, but she has friends in Dollet."

Zell responded, "Anything can happen, you know that! Look what happened to you and Shinji."

Kasumi retorted, "One would think you're in love with Mishima."

Zell stopped pacing with a start. "In love with Mishima! I already have a girlfriend." Zell began to think how ridiculous it was that he would be in love with Mishima. True, she did have a fabulous figure and was extremely beautiful, but was that anything to base a love on? Suddenly Zell visualized a picture in his mind of he and Mishima living in a vine-covered cottage with three or four loving children at their feet and both of them completely and deliriously happy.

"What the heck are you all yelling about? I could hear you from a half of mile away" Mishima exclaimed, suddenly stepping into the clearing in the forest.

"Oh, thank Hyne you're back. Zell has been driving me out of my mind with his worry."

Mishima crossed to where the stunned Zell was standing and stepped up on her toes and gently pinched his cheek. "Aren't you sweet? You were worried about me? Well, I'm fine."

Zell began to blush furiously and Mishima laughed, "Same old Zell."

Kasumi asked, "So did you have any luck?"

Mishima exclaimed, "Bingo! The resistance people have Shinji hidden away."

"Oh, thank Hyne" Kasumi whispered.

"But there's a problem. He's been seriously injured and may not live."

"Oh no!" Kasumi screamed as tears began to roll down her face.

Zell quickly stepped to her and took her by the arm and looked down in her face. "Pull yourself together. This is not the time to fall apart. If we are going to help him, you need to be at your best."

Mishima agreed "Zell's right, Kasumi. I couldn't have said it better myself."

Kasumi ceased her crying and tersely replied, "I understand. Thank you."

Zell asked Mishima, "So what's the plan?"

"Kasumi and I will return to Dollet and we'll meet with my friend and he's agreed to lead us to where they're hiding Shinji. Then they've agreed to transport Kasumi and Shinji to Balamb by boat."

"Wrong!" Zell contradicted, "You're not leaving me here unable to do anything, but worry."

"Zell," Mishima explained patiently, "There's no need for all three of us to go into town. It just increases the risk."

"There!" Zell exclaimed, pointing his finger "You said it yourself. There is risk involved" he declared, while glancing at Kasumi with an _ I told you so look. _

Mishima accused, "Zell, you're going off half-cocked."

"That may be, but you're not leaving me here to do nothing except worry about you and Kasumi."

Kasumi asked, wearing an impish grin, "Oh, does that mean you love me too?"

Mishima appeared startled. "Love? Who loves me?"

Zell whirled and ordered "Kasumi, you be quiet! You're complicating things." Returning his attention to Mishima, he declared, "It's settled! I'm going with you."

And so it came to pass that two hours later the three SeeDs walked into Dollet together.

* * *

Quistis had finally fallen into a vaguely uncomfortable light sleep for a few hours. Suddenly waking, she momentarily wondered why she was sleeping on a floor and then it all came rushing back to her. She opened her eyes and glanced around the huge compartment and observed all was as it had been when she initially entered the cell. The three women were seated talking on the far wall and the one woman, who spoke with her, had remained sitting in the opposite corner. When Quistis sat up, she realized she was hungry and wondered if she had missed a meal being served or even if she were going to be fed.

Suddenly the cell door opened and two guards and one of the men, who had arrested her, entered the cell. The three women prisoners seated against the far wall fell silent. The guards and the black suited man approached Quistis. One of the guards demanded "Get up!" As Quistis struggled to her feet, he waved the black nightstick he was carrying at her face ordering "Hurry up!"

Once she had regained her feet, the guard ordered, "Turn around!" and when Quistis obeyed, the guard locked a pair of handcuffs behind her. "Let's go," he ordered and Quistis turned around being slightly off balance with her arms thrust behind her body. He pushed her in the back with his nightstick, until she began moving forward through the cell and out the cell door. The second guard clanged the cell door shut, after he and the black suited man left the cell following the other guard and Quistis. As soon as the cell door closed, the three women sitting against the wall began quietly talking again.

As they walked Quistis along the prison floor outside of her cell, she desperately attempted to discover what floor she was on, but she realized all of the floors appeared exactly identical. There was no way of knowing where she was, she realized with a sense of desolation. They marched her down to another cell on the same floor and after they opened the cell door and pushed her inside, she realized the cell was devoid of other prisoners. They seated her in a straight back chair in the center of the cell and they blindfolded her.

Suddenly a voice, she was not familiar with, said, "Quistis Trepe, I need some information from you."

Quistis responded, My name is Madoka Mitaka and I attend East Academy University."

Suddenly Quistis felt a hand slap her face hard causing her to gasp in pain. "I'm not fooling with you, woman!" the mysterious voice exclaimed. "I want to know what your assignment was in Deling City and I want to know now!"

Quistis answered, "My name is Madoka-."

Suddenly a clenched fist struck her just above her temple on the left side of her head rocking her head back and causing blinding pain.

The mysterious voice ordered, "Take her back to her cell." And then a hand suddenly gripped her chin and Quistis recognized the man was close enough to kiss her when he spoke, "Tomorrow when we speak, you will give me answers or you will live to regret it - that is, if you live very long at all."

When the guard removed her blindfold, the cell was empty again except for the two guards and the black suited man. They marched Quistis back to her cell, removed the handcuffs and then unlocked her cell door. The guard pushed her into the cell so violently she tumbled to the cell floor barely able to move quickly enough to break her fall. When the cell door clanged shut, Quistis just laid on the floor attempting to not weep.

* * *

The two-hour ride to Winhill was uneventful, although Selphie found it as exciting as anything she had ever experienced. Watts and Zone roared their motorcycles into Winhill, no doubt disturbing the serenity of the little town more than anything else had done since Laguna had left.

After Watts and Zone shut their motorcycles off, Selphie and Brian dismounted with Selphie discovering her body was still vibrating. "Wow! That was awesome!" she exclaimed, her face extremely flushed.

Watts and Zone dismounted from their bikes and, pushing them over in front of the vacant house Laguna formerly resided at, they put the kickstands down and parked them.

"Where are we going to look?" asked Selphie.

Watts answered, "I thought we'd ask those flunk-out SeeDs, if they've seen anything."

"If that's the case," Zone retorted, "we should have come in at the other end of town."

"I thought we'd work our way down and question everybody," Watts snapped at him.

"Why didn't you just say that, then?"

Selphie interrupted "Hey! Hey, knock it off! I'm not going to listen to you two argue all day."

Zone flushed uncomfortably and apologized "Sorry, Selphie. You're right, of course."

Selphie suggested they begin at the mansion that sat on the town circle, where they were presently standing because the owner was indebted to them for their discovering all the pieces of his broken vase.

When they questioned him, he informed them he hadn't noticed any strangers around the small mountain town and there had been precious few Galbadian soldiers around either. They decided to skip questioning the woman, who lived in the house that used to house the bar that Rainey ran, because she often had a nasty attitude towards uninvited visitors.

They walked down toward the other end of the quaint little town pausing momentarily at the Chocobo crossing to allow a large Chocobo to cross. Before questioning the two would-be SeeDs, who were hired on to protect the town, they decided to eat lunch at the _ Flower Restaurant. _

* * *

Mishima quickly and quietly led Zell and Kasumi down to the church where she ordered, "Wait here. Hopefully I'll be right back."

Mishima stepped inside of the church and immediately observed her friend kneeling in the same pew as earlier. Quickly joining him, she explained, "I have brought my comrade, who will accompany Shinji. Is he still alive?"

"Yes, he still lives, but I do not know how much longer it might be. For that reason alone, we have a need to hurry. Come" he directed arising to his feet.

Mishima and the resistance leader stepped outside into the bright Dollet sunlight. Mishima, finally getting a good look at him, discovered he was much taller than she with shining blonde hair he wore in a spike hairstyle. He had a very nice build with a fairly large chest and strong looking, but not weight lifter oversized, biceps and a fairly tiny waist compared to his upper trunk. He was wearing some sort of a military jump suit Mishima was not familiar with.

Mishima exclaimed, "Well, you've certainly grown up since I last saw you, Cl-."

Kasumi interrupted as she rushed up. "Is Shinji still alive?" she asked breathlessly.

He looked down at her and bestowed the most wondrous smile Mishima had every witnessed and tersely replied, "Yes."

Zell strode forward and demanded in a harsh whisper in Mishima's ear "Who's that guy?"

Mishima cautioned "Zell, hush. Behave!"

The resistance leader took Kasumi by the hand and, glancing at Mishima ordered, "Come with me."

Mishima directed "Zell, I want you to go up the street to that outdoor restaurant we passed and get yourself a good breakfast and wait for me. I won't be long."

When Zell began to protest, Mishima gave him a look that promised him, in this case, argument was futile and so he acquiesced reluctantly and turned and began walking slowly up the street.

Mishima said to her friend, "Lead on, McDuff."

* * *

Mishima's friend led them slightly up another street that intersected with the road to the beach area and the streets in the business district and stopped at the first house on the right. He knocked on the door one time and Mishima observed a tiny burst of light come from inside the house from what surely was a peephole. The door opened and the resistance leader quickly led them inside.

Shinji was lying on a mat covered with sheets and blankets, some which had faint bloodstains. Kasumi rushed to his side and sinking to her knees, she began to sob. "Oh, Shinji. What have they done to you?"

Mishima's friend moved to Kasumi and hoisted her up to her feet effortlessly with one hand and looking her square in the face whispered, "He surely is a fortunate man to have the love of one as beautiful as you. He is unconscious and cannot hear you. We waste precious time. Come with me down to the boat."

Kasumi stood too stunned to speak and allowed herself to be led back outside, as Mishima followed them. The resistance leader explained, once they had returned to the street, "My friends will transport him when the street is clear. We will go down to the beach area."

He led them back down the street and, moving past the church, they came to metal stairs that led down to the beach area. Moving onto the beach, Mishima suddenly felt the high winds blowing off the water that seemed to suck the very warmth out of the sunlight. They walked down to the water line where a small boat was pulled up on the shore and tied down to a small post buried in the sand. Glancing around at the small, somehow, dirty appearing beach area, Mishima decided it still appeared as depressing to her as it did when she was a child.

Mishima instructed Kasumi, "When you reach Balamb, go straight to Zell's Mom's house and explain to her the situation. She will take you in. I know there's some kind of doctor in Balamb, but I don't know if he's any good. After you get Shinji settled in, then you can go and see if the Garden's back, although I doubt it will be. You wait for us to return to Balamb."

Kasumi nodded her understanding.

"Oh, and another thing," Mishima continued. "Don't disturb anything in Zell's room. He gets real hyper about that."

As the resistance leader's cohorts had already carried Shinji down to the beach and placed him in the bottom of the boat, Mishima embraced Kasumi and said, "Take care of yourself. He'll be fine...You'll see."

The tears began falling freely from Kasumi's eyes as she whispered "Thanks" and then she stepped into and sat down in the boat. One of the resistance people followed her into the boat and started the engine, while another cast the boat off. Mishima stood and watched until the boat was out of sight. Turning to her friend she declared, "I could never thank you enough. We owe you so much."

He bent down and lightly grazed his lips across hers startling Mishima. "It was so good to see you again," he said. "I hope I will see you again very soon," he said with a glint of promise in his eyes. And then he walked up the stairs leading back to the main part of Dollet.

* * *

After Selphie, Watts, Brian and Zone finished eating lunch at the _ Flower Restaurant _ in lower Winhill, Zone paid their bill. He questioned the owner extensively concerning any new movements of Galbadian Army troops and whether he had observed any of Zone and Watts' missing comrades. Zone admitted, when he rejoined the group, there was nothing to report. After leaving the restaurant, they wandered down and conversed with the town's two guardians. Again they were frustrated in their attempts to gather any information, pertaining to anything out of the ordinary.

They began their trek returning to the other end of town and, when they reached the Chocobo crossing, Zone suggested they travel down the road that led around the mountain the town was partially built upon to possibly discover anything new. Since it was only mid-afternoon, everyone agreed.

When they were more than halfway along the curving mountain road, Selphie paused to look down at the acres of farmland and pasture in the valley below. "It looks so peaceful from here" Selphie thought. "So far from fighting and violence."

Suddenly she heard "Halt! Who are you people?!"

Whirling quickly, she observed two Galbadian soldiers and, as she was formulating a response that would satisfy them, Watts suddenly began to run off while Zone crouched on the ground moaning with his back to the soldiers.

"I said halt!" the first soldier angrily shouted. When Watts continued running, Selphie sensed the Galbadian soldiers were preparing to attack as they drew their weapons and Selphie sprang into action swinging her _ Strange Vision _ at the first soldier killing him instantly. Brian leaped forward and swung his whip _ Slaying Tail _ knocking the last soldier backwards as Selphie again let fly with her weapon killing him, as well.

With the two soldiers, who had just recently been so full of their own lives, now laying needlessly dead at her feet, Selphie felt all of the joy she had experienced from the day drain out of her body. She looked at Brian and ordered in a flat tone, "Grab his head."

Selphie seized the first soldier's feet and began to help Brian carry the dead soldier down the path that led down the mountain to a dock where a river ran by. They threw the soldier's body into the swiftly moving body of water and began to climb back up the path to retrieve the last soldier.

Zone, who was now standing, stammered, "Wh - What are you doing?"

Now that the danger had passed, Watts had returned to the scene and explained, "They are throwing the soldiers into the river, because they hope it will carry them away from the immediate vicinity of Winhill, so when they are discovered by the Galbadian Army, the town of Winhill won't be blamed. Isn't that right, Selphie?"

Selphie, who was halfway down the path with the second soldier, turned her head and gave Watts such a cold stare that it finally caused him to turn away. After she and Brian finished their loathsome task, Selphie said in the same flat voice to Zone and Watts "Let's get the hell out of here."

Arriving back in Timber in the early evening, Selphie begged off dinner claiming no appetite and climbed the staircase wearily and went right to bed. After settling between the sheets, she turned her head toward the window where the cool night air gently blew into the room and realized she was tired of being here and missed the Garden. "I want to go home," she thought mournfully.

* * *

Mishima walked back into the beach area with Zell tagging after her. She had returned to the city proper from the beach area after her friend had left and discovered Zell sitting at an outside table at the restaurant, where she had directed him. He was fidgeting by an empty plate that had once held a large number of hot dogs. Ignoring all of his questions, except for the ones involving Kasumi and Shinji, she had insisted he accompany her back to the beach area.

She led him to the far end of the beach and announced, "I'm going to take a bath and I want you to watch out for me and keep people away from the immediate vicinity."

"What?!" he asked, not believing his ears and reddening slightly.

"You heard me. We've been on the road for three days and I'm filthy. We can't go to the hotel and I want a bath."

"But, Mishima," Zell protested stating the obvious, "we're in public!"

"I know that. That's why I want you to look out for me." And booking no further argument, she quickly turned and removed all her clothing. She glanced back over her shoulder and observed Zell completely turned away from her and staring back up at the street in Dollet.

Outraged she exclaimed, "Zell, turn around!"

Zell complied as ordered and when he perceived the back of Mishima's totally bare body, he began to blush furiously and appeared as if he were going to faint.

"Zell," Mishima explained patiently. "You can't watch out for me, if you're not going to be looking at the beach area. I realize you find this embarrassing, so I'm going to try to be quick."

Mishima unwrapped a bar of soap she had purchased from a shop on the way back to retrieve Zell and she ran into the pounding surf. She was as good as her word and bathed quickly. When she came out of the water, she glanced quickly at Zell and ascertained he was watching the beach area and then she looked away, not wishing to embarrass him further by establishing eye contact with him. As she did not have a towel, she was just going to have to dress over her wet body, but the high winds did dry her some before she was once again completely dressed.

As she approached Zell, who stood further up the beach towards the stairs, she said, "Thanks a lot, I really needed that." She asked, "Do you want to wash off? I can keep an eye out for you."

"No, no" answered Zell. "I'm fine."

"Oh, Zell - You're just as dirty as I was."

Zell responded, "Yeah, but that dirt protects me some."

Mishima grinned to herself. "Same old Zell."

* * *

Irvine, Rinoa, the pigtail girl and Akane were sitting around a late afternoon coffee shop table waiting for their dinner shift to be announced.

Rainoa asked, "Akane, have you seen Arnaz around anywhere?"

"No, I haven't" Akane answered icily biting off each word.

Rainoa glanced at Irvine and rolled her eyes. Irvine offered a grin in return.

Irvine made a large production out of pulling a pocket watch out of his coat pocket, hoping in vain Akane would notice, snapped it open and checked the time. Snapping it shut and slipping it back into his pocket, he stood up and offered, "Ladies, they are going to be calling our shift momentarily. Shall we retire to the cafeteria?"

As they were leaving the coffee shop, Akane suddenly darted ahead and explained over her shoulder as she moved quickly up the corridor towards the first floor. "I just remembered something important I have to do."

Irvine commented, "That kid's acting awfully strange."

* * *

Cid glanced up from his constant paper work on his desk and said "You may go to dinner now, Fujin, if you would like. I think I'm going to take a short nap."

Fujin replied "THANKS" and arose from her desk and rode the elevator down to the first floor.

When the elevator arrived on the first floor, Fujin noticed Akane took her place on it and rode up. Raijin, as usual, was pacing back and forth in front of the elevator waiting for her.

Fujin exclaimed, "RAGE!"

"About time, no da!"

Fujin replied, "GO" and they walked down the steps on their way to the cafeteria.

* * *

Seifer was already seated and eating hot dogs off his plate, when Raijin and Fujin arrived at the table holding their trays. After they were seated, Raijin accused "Seifer, you didn't wait for us, no da!"

"Why should I have to wait to eat, when Fujin works late?"

Raijin answered, "Because we're a posse, no da."

"You're the posse. I'm the sheriff."

"Aw, Seifer" Raijin whined. "That's no way to act, no da."

Seifer looked at Fujin and stated, "You know I've been thinking about this and I've finally remembered where I know that Akane chick from. She was in Deling City at the same time I was, when Edea was still Sorceress. I saw her, at that time, because she was the daughter of some _ big-shot." _

At that instant it occurred to Fujin the only place Akane could have been going was Cid's office, because all the classrooms were already closed and locked for the night. Remembering Cid had indicated he would be taking a nap, which would leave his office empty, Fujin jumped up from the table and shouted "AKANE! CID'S OFFICE!" She began running out of the cafeteria. At the doorway, she, paused and glancing back, shouted "SEIFER! FOLLOW!" And then she was gone running up the corridor.

Seifer suddenly understood and he exclaimed, "Akane's the spy! Let's go, Rage," and the two of them leaped up and hurried from the cafeteria.

At their table, Rinoa spoke to Irvine and the pigtail girl. "What in the world is going on with them? Why is Fujin shouting out Akane's name?"

Irvine, already pushing himself back from the table, replied, "I've got a bad feeling about all of this. Let's go check it out." And with that Irvine, Rinoa and the pigtail girl all left the cafeteria.

* * *

When Fujin exited the elevator on the third floor, she observed Akane attempting to open a locked file cabinet with a burglar's tool. Several file cabinets had already been opened and their contents rifled, as evidenced by their drawers still hanging open and files scattered all over the floor beneath. Cid was nowhere to be found. Akane was so preoccupied with opening the cabinet, she apparently did not hear the elevator arrive.

"STOP!" ordered Fujin.

Akane looked up and distinguished Fujin for the first time. Being much younger and far more agile, she was able to reach Fujin in four quick steps and, launching herself in the air, she kicked out Fujin's left knee tumbling her to the floor. Akane landed on her feet in the elevator, whose doors were still open, as Fujin had been standing between them. The doors closed quickly and the elevator traveled down.

Cid wandered out of his apartment, obviously wiping sleep from his eyes and asked "Fujin, what are you doing here?" Finally noticing the condition of his office, he asked, "What's been going on here? Who did this?"

Fujin pulled herself to her feet, puched the button for the elevator and explained "AKANE!" The elevator doors opened and, as Fujin hurried on and pushed the first floor button, she heard Cid ask "Akane? Who's Akane?"

When Fujin exited the elevator on the first floor, she took in the entire situation in a glance. Akane was running halfway down the staircase, while Seifer and Raijin closely followed by Irvine, Rinoa and the pigtail girl were coming around to Fujin's right from the cafeteria and the Doctor, Xu and some upper-classmen were coming around to Fujin's left from the direction of the library.

Fujin shouted "SEIFER! GRAB AKANE!"

Seifer ran forward and, as Akane cleared the last step, he was able to wrap his arms around her and lifted her completely off the floor, holding her away from his body as she was attempting to free herself by kicking at him.

"Let me go, you idiot!" she screamed as Irvine, Rinoa and the pigtail girl came running up.

"Seifer, put her down" said Cid, who had just exited the elevator and was quickly walking down the staircase.

"Now Seifer!" Cid ordered stepping down to the first floor and facing him. Seifer gently returned her to the floor.

"Now, young lady" Cid asked, "What was so important that you felt it necessary to break open my locked file cabinets?"

Akane looked up at Cid with one tear running down her face from the corner of her left eye and responded in a tremulous voice, "I'm so sorry, Headmaster Cid. I have just heard so much about the Legendary SeeD that I wanted to know about him and I was so scared to approach you." She began to cry in ernest.

Cid replied, "Where did you come from? We have no students with the name of Akane."

Akane began to sob and, burying her head in her hands, explained, "I've only been here a short time. My professor got me in. I'm certain you just haven't seen my paperwork yet."

"No, I'm positive we have no one here with that name."

Rinoa stepped forward and hugged the weeping teenager and, looking up at Cid, she responded, "Cid, I'm certain you're mistaken. This girl is a very good friend of mine and has been here for a while. Now please allow her to calm down. You're frightening her. I'm sure we can get this whole mess straightened out, if you back off for a moment."

"There is nothing to straighten out, Rinoa" Cid replied in a stern voice that few people had ever heard. "This girl does not belong here!"

Akane suddenly arose and in the same motion pushed Rinoa away from her. Akane spoke to Rinoa in the same icy tone she had used in the coffee shop. "You empty-headed, neurotic slut! Because of you and all the information you gave me, your boyfriend Squall and his buddy Quistis have been arrested and taken to the D-District Prison and have probably already been executed as we speak!"

Rinoa let out with a _ blood-curdling _ scream and sank to her knees holding her head with both hands. Akane quickly reached inside of her blouse and underneath her bra and pulled out a potassium cyanide capsule and was attempting to place it in her mouth, when Seifer leaped forward and knocked her hand causing the capsule to fly high in the air and land several feet away breaking completely apart when it hit the floor.

Akane screamed in frustration, "My father is worth a thousand of you scum!"

"Your father?" Cid asked totally mystified.

"Yes my father, you fat middle-aged twit! My father is the Legendary SeeD!"

Cid appeared completely nonplussed for a matter of seconds and then ordered "Seifer, lock her in the disciplinary room."

Glancing around the crowd and distinguishing Xu and the Doctor standing in a group of upper-classmen, he ordered "Xu, assign around the clock guards to observe her and then come immediately to an emergency staff meeting. Doctor, I want you to attend also."

Cid turned and went up the stairs and entered the elevator, as Irvine knelt down attempting to comfort the sobbing Rinoa. 


	14. Once Again Chapter Fourteen

Once Again

Chapter Fourteen

_Rinoa Takes Charge_

Irvine Finally Scores

Zell's Treat

Cid declared, "I hereby call this emergency staff meeting to order. Any immediate feedback?"

Cid, Xu, the Doctor and Fujin sat around the long conference table. The doctor spoke "Obviously we have to send somebody to investigate this girl's allegations."

"Yes, and it needs to be someone highly experienced as a SeeD and also highly experienced in Deling City and also the D-District Prison" added Xu.

"From what you're saying," Cid replied, "it sounds as if we don't have anybody to send. That is not feedback!" Cid angrily declared. "We are not leaving Squall and Quistis out there to die!"

Doctor Kadowaki cautioned, "Calm down, Cid. You're going to send your blood pressure skyrocketing." The doctor was the only person in the Garden, who could have spoken to Cid in that manner at that particular moment and had an affect.

Cid appeared slightly chagrined and expressed, "Sorry...But I meant what I said. Now who are we going to send? Time is of the essence here."

Xu tersely suggested, "Rinoa."

Cid slammed his hand down on the table causing everyone, except Fujin, to flinch. "Absolutely not!" he protested. "You saw her down there. She is completely emotionally overwrought."

Xu countered, "Of course she was. Who wouldn't have been at that particular moment, if they were in the same position as she? But I know Rinoa and I know she will pull herself together quickly and she's the only one who fits the criteria. She grew up in Deling City and may still have some contacts there, plus she knows the D-District Prison floor plan completely."

Cid muttered, "I still don't know about this."

Fujin suddenly spoke "RINOA!"

Cid's eyes widened in surprise, as he had come to respect Fujin's insights.

The elevator arrived on the third floor. As everyone seated at the table turned to look, Rinoa and Irvine stepped off and approached the table.

Xu noticed that Rinoa's face appeared red and swollen from crying, although she appeared now to be in complete control. "Excuse us for interrupting your meeting," Rinoa declared, "but I've come to tell you your decision."

Cid started, "Now hold on a minute, Rinoa."

"No, you hold on Cid!" Rinoa replied in a steely voice. "Squall and Quistis's lives are on the line, as you sit here and debate. The only two people you can send are Irvine and myself. We're the only people who know Deling City and the D-District Prison. Now I'm going downstairs and get ready to leave. The only decision you have left to make is how you're going to get Irvine and myself to Deling City."

With that said, Rinoa and Irvine turned and crossed to the elevator and entered it. As the doors closed and the elevator began its trip to the first floor, the doctor asked, _"How _ are we going to transport them to Deling City?"

Cid looked at Xu and asked, "Is the Garden fixed yet?"

"No, they haven't even located the problem."

Fujin spoke "BOAT!"

Xu replied, "Hey, that's right! Maybe Trabia Garden has a boat. If they do, I'm sure they wouldn't mind transporting them."

So that's how it came to be that two hours later Irvine and Rinoa stepped off a small water craft onto the beach located on the Great Plains of Galbadia, a short distance away from Deling City.

* * *

After Zell and Mishima crossed the Dollet city limit, Zell asked, "So are we taking the train or renting a car to get back to Timber?"

Hurrying Zell along the highway leading away from the immediate vicinity of Dollet by slightly pushing him along. Mishima answered enigmatically, "Both and neither."

Zell responded rather heatedly, "Mishima, what in the hell are you talking about?!"

"I think you should rent a car and I'll take the train and we'll meet outside of East Academy" Mishima explained.

"No!" Zell strongly objected. "I don't think we should separate."

Mishima stopped walking and grabbed Zell by the arm and spun him around. Looking him square in the eye, she firmly said "I don't need you to protect me and I resent it that you think I do."

Zell began to stammer "Uh, now Mishima...I-."

Mishima interrupted in a much kinder tone. "I appreciate your concern for me, but we don't know if Galbadia is still searching for Squall and Quistis, so we will be safer at this point traveling separately. Our goal is to get everyone back to Balamb as quickly as possible, so we get Shinji the medical attention that he needs, if he is going to live."

"Okay, you convinced me" Zell acquiesced. "But what are we doing now?"

Mishima answered, "We are headed back into the forest. We need to get a good night's rest, because we're going to have a busy day tomorrow."

Zell declared, "Well then, let's get going." And the two young SeeDs began moving again toward the forest.

Reaching their destination in the dusk of the early evening, they entered the now familiar clearing, which emotionally had begun to represent their home away from home. Mishima laid down and, just before closing her eyes, said, "Thanks for taking the first watch. Now don't be foolish and stay up all night. Make sure you wake me up in a few hours, because we need you sharp tomorrow."

Zell, who was already gathering pieces of wood in preparation of building the fire, responded, "Okay, sleep sweet."

As Mishima closed her eyes with a faint smile on her lips, she thought to herself "That Zell's a sweetheart."

* * *

By the time Rinoa and Irvine walked into Deling City, it was almost midnight. She led him through what appeared to Irvine as a series of haphazard side streets until suddenly they were standing in front of the door that led to the sewers.

"What are you doing, Rinoa?" Irvine demanded.

"We're going in the sewers" she replied in a not so patient tone.

"We can't go the mansion. General Caraway's not there" he protested.

"Irvine, I realize _ that _ man isn't there. If _ that _ man were there, then we wouldn't go there. It is my home. I have a right to go to my home."

As Irvine began to protest again, Rinoa asked "Did you think we were going to spend the night at the hotel? Now come on - Now!"

Once they were on the lower level, Rinoa explained, "You're going to have to do all the fighting, if we're attacked by anything. I didn't bring my weapon."

"What?!" Irvine practically shouted, "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about," Rinoa bit off each word in a firm voice, "that this is a covert operation and the last thing I need to be doing is carrying a weapon out in the open. You can hide your gun under your coat. Where do you think I should carry _ Shooting Star _ - down my shorts?" she asked sarcastically.

"Okay, you win" Irvine replied throwing his arms up in mock surrender. "Let's just go."

Three times on their journey through the sewers, Creeps attacked them. Each time Rinoa attempted to evade their attack, while Irvine blew them away with his _ Exeter. _ She was nicked in a minor way a couple of times, but Irvine cast cures on her as soon as the battles were over.

When they stepped into General Caraway's den, Rinoa explained, "Don't worry about the servants. The servants adore me and they've always taken my side against _ that _ man and there shouldn't be anyone else here. Now I'm going to my bedroom and get a few hours sleep and then I'm going out."

Noting the apprehension on Irvine's face, Rinoa spoke quickly to forestall any argument on his part. "I need to go by myself and I need to go at night. Where I'm going, the people will not trust you, because they don't know you."

Irvine questioned, "How are you going back through the sewers by yourself without a weapon?"

"I'm not going through the sewers. I am going out the front door of my home. I have every right to go out of where I live. I only insisted we come in through the sewers, so we wouldn't be noticed until we could get some sleep. Once I leave here, I'm not coming back, no matter what happens. You are to meet me in front of the hotel at 12 noon. Be on time!"

Irvine was at a complete loss concerning how to deal with any of this. This was a Rinoa he had never known, so he simply replied "Sure."

"And another thing" Rinoa exclaimed, while smiling impishly, "stay away from the young maid on the staff - she'll eat you alive!"

A few hours later, Irvine was standing by a fourth floor window and observed Rinoa step lively down the front walk and out into the street in front of the General's mansion. He watched as she boarded a #10 bus, which drove her away down the boulevard. He hoped she knew what she was doing and would be safe from harm, while all he could do was wait.

* * *

As morning staff meeting commenced, Xu immediately stated "I have something of the utmost importance to report, so I need to jump ahead of the agenda this morning."

"Go ahead, Xu" offered Cid.

Xu reported, "Akane attempted to hang herself last night by removing all her clothing and tying it together into a makeshift rope. Luckily it was noticed in time and she was cut down without any permanent damage being suffered by her. For that reason, we've had to remove anything in the disciplinary room she might find useful to harm herself with. She appears hell-bent on destroying herself; I suppose, because in her mind, she failed in her mission."

Cid suggested, "To be on the safe side, why don't we double the around-the-clock watch?"

Xu nodded in understanding. Cid continued, "And also make certain that one of Doctor Kadowaki's interns are on each shift."

Xu responded, "Yes, sir" and thought to herself, "Cid can sometimes appear so ineffectual and then turn right around and take complete charge of a situation."

Xu continued, "Outside of any humanitarian concerns regarding the sanctity of human life, we also need to keep her alive because, if she is indeed the daughter of the President, she could become a useful bargaining chip."

Cid commented, "If she is who she says she is."

"What do you think, Cid?" asked Xu. "Could she possibly be the daughter of the Legendary Seed?"

"I think she could be" Cid replied. "Ask yourself - Why would Mamoru send a fifteen year old child here, if she wasn't somehow connected to him very closely? And there's something else," Cid elaborated. "I've always felt Mamoru's disappearance was of his own choosing and there was a major part of him he never allowed me to know. It may have been the missing part was the fact that he had a four year old child hidden somewhere."

Xu concluded, "Well it's indeed a mystery that we don't have enough information at present to solve."

Cid asked, "How is the Trabia Tech Squad coming along with repairing the Garden?"

"That's the next item I was going to bring up." Xu explained. "The Garden is fully repaired and up and running. I wanted to ask your permission to have Nida take it out for a little test drive."

"Make it so," Cid stated with a slight grin on his face.

* * *

When the first ray of sunlight gleamed through the heavy forest foliage, Mishima awoke on her forest floor bed. She was momentarily disoriented until she rolled over and observed the dying embers of the fire that Zell must have been feeding throughout the long night. It was then she noticed Zell sitting cross-legged and smiling at her.

Frustration coursed through her body as she realized he had allowed her to sleep all night. Suddenly sitting up, she snapped "You idiot! Why didn't you wake me up for watch?"

Zell, who appeared completely unruffled by Mishima's derogatory remark, answered, "Because you looked so beautiful sleeping there, I just couldn't disturb you."

Mishima gained her feet quickly and began advancing on Zell. "I'm not kidding," she declared.

Zell held his right hand up in surrender. "Alright, I didn't wake you for your watch because, over the past couple of days, I was able to get plenty of sleep when you, on the other hand, had to get up early both days. Plus I basically did nothing, while you had to make several trips back and forth to Dollet."

Mishima paused and replied in a soft voice, "Okay, I'm sorry I called you an idiot. I just thought you were trying to treat me again, as if I was some kind of a _ weak sister." _

Zell quickly responded with a twinkle in his eye, "Well, I know you're not weak, you're as strong as I am and I certainly don't think of you as my sister."

Mishima flushed slightly and said "Excuse me while I go tend to my morning toilet." Mishima wasn't completely in touch with what her true intentions were, but only realized on something more akin to a primal level that she suddenly felt the need for her and Zell to be more intimate, so she unsnapped her suspenders and pulled her blouse over her enormous, beautifully shaped breasts. Mishima then pushed her skirt and panties down and stepped out of them revealing her black _ bushed _ vagina and walked off into some nearby undergrowth leaving Zell still sitting on the ground crimson with embarrassment.

When the wantonly stark naked Mishima stepped back into the clearing a quarter of an hour later, she noticed Zell was standing where the fire had once been. Zell had not only put the dying fire out completely, but also had destroyed all remnants of it leaving no evidence they had ever been there.

Mishima nakedly crossed the clearing to him and enveloped him with her arms holding him in an embrace so tightly Zell could hardly breathe.

Stretching on her toes, Mishima offered Zell a long, lingering kiss on his mouth and declared, "You're a good man, Zell Dincht."

Mishima, feeling something hard pressing against her lower belly, reached down with both hands and quickly pulled Zell's shorts and boxer shorts down to the ground. Zell moaned as Mishima knelt down and began to work on the _ root _ of the problem with her mouth. A short while later, after reaching a successful conclusion, Mishima offered Zell one last kiss and suggested, "Shall we be on our way?"

Zell silently nodded and, after Mishima gathered her outfit and redressed, they walked silently in the early morning sunlight out of the forest and across the Hasberry Plains in the direction of the Dollet Train Platform, which was located outside of the city, each of them keeping their true feelings hidden - even from themselves.

Reaching the platform in about thirty minutes, Zell waited with her until the train arrived. As she was preparing to board, Zell whispered in her ear, "Take care." Mishima rewarded him with a big smile saying "You too" and then stepped onto the train. Zell stood and watched until it disappeared from sight and then continued his walk into Dollet.

A half an hour later, Zell roared out of Dollet in his rental headed toward the East Academy Train Station.

* * *

Selphie woke up suddenly with the sunlight streaming through the open window striking her fully in the face. Squinting her eyes to minimize the effect of the bright light, she turned her head and perceived that Brian had already left the room. Hoping to forestall any occurrence as the one that happened the day before when Brian walked in on her while she was dressing, she quickly arose from the bed, crossed the room and pulled her dress over her bare body.

It turned out to be not a moment too soon, as the bedroom door opened and Brian walked in carrying a towel and dripping wet from the shower. Selphie quickly averted her eyes, but not before noticing he was quite flabby with a minuscule penis. When Brian crossed the room to his backpack in preparation of dressing, Selphie, who realized she had already observed far too much of him, crossed to the door and opened it on her way to the bathroom. She said on her way out, "Don't be in here when I come back from my shower and knock before you come in here next time!"

"Alright, Selphie" Brian meekly said, himself greatly embarrassed.

While standing uder the hot shower, Selphie realized she wasn't enjoying it as she had other days and understood why. She had remained depressed over the needless killing of the two Galbadian soldiers the day before. She thought "I pray to Hyne they get back from Dollet today. I'm sick of this damn town. It's always been nothing, but trouble to us."

After drying off thoroughly, Selphie stepped into her dress and pulled the front zipper up. She applied her makeup and brushed her hair for a few minutes and then checked the heels of her boots. Returning to the bedroom, she began to rummage through her backpack to locate a pair of panties that weren't filthy and finally decided on a pair that weren't too bad. Lack of clean underwear notwithstanding, she was now ready, she thought, to face Brian and the rest of the wackos she had to deal with in this Hyneforsaken town.

Coming down the stairs, she observed Brian sitting at the kitchen table with Sayoko, who quickly stood and offered her some breakfast. When Selphie declined, a look of dismay crossed Sayoko's face. She exclaimed "Hyne, Selphie! You don't eat enough to keep a fly alive."

Selphie grinned, "Works for me."

Stepping quickly to the door to forestall any conversation with Brian, Selphie explained, "I'm going out. I'll be back later." She quickly moved out the door and stepped into the street. She had no idea where she was going, but anywhere was better than being trapped in the house with those two, she thought to herself.

* * *

Irvine awoke in the muted light of the semi-darkened first floor bedroom in the servant's quarters. Absently moving his right arm across the other side of the double bed, he realized Usagi must have reported for household duties hours before. Irvine smiled to himself and thought bemusedly "Rinoa was wrong. That maid wasn't half as tough as she thought!"

Sitting up in the bed, Irvine distinguished by the alarm clock that sat on the bedside table that it was already past ten o'clock. "I'd better get a move on, if I'm going to make the hotel by noon" he spoke aloud. Irvine arose from the bed and began to gather his scattered clothing that lay around the room on the floor. Taking only ten minutes to completely dress, he placed his cowboy hat on his head and picking up his rifle, he quickly strode from the room.

A little over an hour later, he emerged from the door that led to the city sewers and looking around he was relieved to discover no one was looking his way. As he hurried down the boulevard, he hoped he remembered the correct route to the downtown hotel, because he certainly didn't want to face the wrath of an angry Rinoa.

* * *

As soon as morning staff meeting was adjourned, Cid announced over the intercom that the Garden was going on a short test flight. Xu then took the elevator up to the bridge and ordered Nida to take the Garden up.

The Garden appeared to have no difficulty acquiring lift and Nida gracefully guided the Garden over the various forests that were scattered on the Trabia terrain.

Xu asked, "How does it feel?"

"Fine, no problems at all."

Suddenly while flying over the Hawkwind Plains, Nida pointed to his right and asked, "What's that over there behind that forest?"

Xu's heart skipped a beat in her chest when she recognized the newly built Galbadian Missile Base! "Nida! Get us out of here before they spot us!" Xu ordered.

Nida made the widest turn to the right possible, throwing he and Xu a little off balance while the Garden turned completely around so they were now heading in the opposite direction.

While moving toward the elevator, Xu ordered, "Take us over and land outside of Trabia Garden. I'm going down to tell Cid."

Cid was seated at his desk attempting to straighten the papers that had moved helter-skelter all over his desk when the Garden had turned. He looked up irritably, when he sensed Xu standing before him and demanded, "What the hell is Nida doing?"

Xu answered excitedly "Cid, we just discovered the Galbadian Missile Base!"

Cid appeared completely stunned for a second and then replied, "Well Xu - what's the plan? I know you already have one."

Xu answered while moving behind Cid's desk and taking his arm and lifting him completely off his chair. "Yes, I do! But first we're going to Trabia Garden and talk to Dyne Barrett." And then Xu hustled Cid over to the elevator and on to it before he could lodge a complaint.

* * *

After Cid, Xu, Seifer and Fujin exited the Garden, Xu suggested to Cid he remain close to her or Seifer until they had entered the friendly confines of Trabia Garden and he would be fine. Fortunately for Cid's blood pressure, they were able to cover the short distance to Trabia Garden without incident.

Unlike the first time they visited two days earlier, because of all the interactions between the two Gardens, Xu was able to just walk right in and down to the Headmaster's office. Xu knocked on the door and heard the voice of Dyne Barrett invite them in.

When they entered and Dyne Barrett saw Cid, he stood up with surprise written on his face. He quickly stepped around his desk and striding up to Cid, he exclaimed, "Cid! Long time no see."

While Cid held out his right hand, Dyne Barrett ignored it and grabbed Cid in a big hug, which Cid appeared to handle with a great deal of forbearance. Dyne Barrett stepped back and exclaimed, "You look great, Cid!"

"You're looking good yourself, Dyne." Cid was finally able to get a word in edgewise.

Returning to his chair behind his desk, Dyne Barrett invited, "Sit anywhere, people."

Glancing around, Fujin noticed, unlike Cid's office, Dyne Barrett had many chairs scattered around his office. He obviously encouraged interactions with his students and SeeDs.

"So what has caused the reclusive Cid to leave his cave and come calling on me?" asked Dyne Barrett with an impish grin.

Xu covered her smile of laughter with her right hand and then explained, "We have an emergency that will also affect you in the long run and we have come to ask for your assistance."

Xu proceeded to inform him of the discovery of the rebuilt Galbadian Missile Base and outlined her plan of attack. When Xu was finished, Dyne Barrett sat back in his chair and said thoughtfully, "Yes, indeed. The base being that close to us would pose a definite threat to the very existence of our Garden. We will be happy to help you in any way we can."

Xu stated her gratitude and then asked "Would you be willing to send us some SeeDs and possibly some older upper-classmen to join us in our frontal attack? I need to be honest and tell you it will be dangerous. But I don't think they have over a hundred troops and officers in the entire base and some of them will basically be technicians, plus we will have the definite element of surprise on our side, if we strike quickly enough."

Dyne Barrett quickly responded, "Yes, of course! I will hand select them myself and they will be in your Garden in full battle garb within the next thirty minutes."

Xu stood and bowed. "We will be forever in your debt." After Cid and Dyne Barrett shook hands goodbye, they returned to their Garden.

* * *

It took Zell almost two hours to reach the vicinity of East Academy Train Station, as he took Mishima's advice and stuck closely to the 55 mph speed limit. As he realized the train would have arrived in half the time it took him, he naturally was apprehensive about locating her immediately upon his arrival. It also worried him that, with the train station actually being located outside the city limits, Mishima would have no place to blend in because of it being an extremely small station and she would attract attention, if she remained there for an extended period of time. Her only alternative would be to loiter, awaiting his arrival, in the Vaulny Canyon countryside, so Zell felt extremely relieved and happy to observe her waiting when he pulled off the highway by the East Academy Train Station.

Mishima ran quickly up to the car and opened the door. Climbing into the car and closing the door behind her, she turned to Zell and flashed him a smile saying, "Not a moment too soon. I was beginning to worry about you."

"How did it go?" Zell demanded, while pulling the car back on the highway.

"Oh, it was fine," Mishima answered offhandedly, "although I did have some problem with a Galbadian soldier trying to _ mack _ on me."

"What?!" Zell shouted turning his head to look at her.

"Zell! Watch the road!" Mishima ordered.

Zell righted the car, which had begun to swerve off the highway.

Mishima explained, "There's no need to get so excited. I handled it fine."

"What did you do?" Zell questioned imagining Mishima going upside the soldier's head in retaliation.

"I told him I was General Caraway's mistress! You should have seen him," she laughed. "He couldn't get away fast enough."

At the wheel Zell remained silent, but began to blush furiously. "Same old Zell" laughed Mishima beside him.

Twenty minutes down the highway, Zell noticed they were approaching a roadside cafe. He asked, "Would you like to stop and get something to eat?"

"I'd love to, I'm starving."

Turning off the highway and into the cafe's parking lot, Zell exclaimed, "I sure hope they serve hot dogs!" 


	15. Once Again Chapter Fifteen

One Again

Chapter Fifteen

_Xu Loses Her Shirt_

Selphie Takes the Cake

Squall suddenly felt the tiny compartment he was being housed in, being jerked forward and then lifted up and automatically realized he was being transferred to another part of the prison. After a few seconds, he recognized the procedure was completed, as the oblong box-like compartment settled down with a bang throwing him off his bunk.

Picking himself up quickly from the floor, he was standing when the cell door once again opened and two prison guards plus a Galbadian Secret Policeman, for Squall realized the black suited men were secret police, were standing outside the cell. One guard stepped into the cell and, ordering Squall to turn around, manacled the handcuffs on him. Squall allowed himself, without offering any resistance, to be whisked from the cell and along the D-District Prison floor. He wasted no energy on attempting to discern where exactly he was, because he realized it was impossible to discover, but instead utilized the time to fortify himself emotionally for the torture session he was certain would follow. He had been through this once before, and he recognized the true taste of hell it was.

He was marched into a completely empty cell except for two straight back chairs and was roughly thrown down on one by the accompanying guard. Almost immediately, the tall man from the previous day entered the cell. His identity was again hidden by the black mask and Squall assumed the torture session was to begin. In another minute, Squall discovered he was mistaken when the tall man offered the guards and the Galbadian Secret Policeman some orders in a voice too low for Squall to overhear. Squall was completely mystified when the guards and the secret policeman vacated the cell together and the tall man stood in the corner silently.

* * *

Quistis had initially lain on the floor in her cell following her first interrogation session, lapsing in and out of consciousness, due to the vicious blows she had sustained to her head. Later in the evening, she was able to pull herself over to a wall and rest against it. No one in the cell spoke to her or really glanced at her, except for the woman in the other corner. She would occasionally look at Quistis in an ironical manner and shake her head slightly.

Finally the guards brought a meal to the prisoners and, although it turned out to be only some extremely thin soup, Quistis drank it down greedily. Later on, she had finally fallen into a deep sleep.

She was awakened by a guard kicking at her feet. "Get up!" he ordered. Quistis struggled to her feet and turned around knowing the drill completely this time. The guard, who was again accompanied by another guard and a man dressed in a black suit, stepped forward and slipped the handcuffs on her. This time the guard then slipped the blind fold over Quistis's eyes in the cell, causing it to be that much more difficult for her to maneuver, as they pushed her along out of the cell and onto the main prison floor. She was able to recognize from the direction and the distance they traveled that they guided her to the same cell as previously. The guard pushed her into the cell and guiding her over to a straight back chair, he then pushed her down on it roughly causing her to gasp against her will.

Squall, who was sitting in the other chair in the cell, suddenly understood the full horror of the situation. They weren't going to torture him in order to force him to share the information they were seeking. They were going to torture Quistis in front of him until he talked!

"I'm sorry, Quisty," he thought desperately, "But if I talk, they'll kill us both immediately anyway." He realized the longer he held out, the more chance there was of them effecting an escape, either from an opportunity afforded him or possibly something accomplished by a Garden force. Squall instinctively recognized he should utter nothing or even allow concern to cross his face during the interrogation session or Quistis would suffer even worse torture.

The tall man crossed to Quistis and leaned down. Quistis could feel his hot breath on her face as he spoke "Quistis Trepe, are you ready to make a full confession?"

Quistis responded, "My name is Madoka Mitaka and I am a student at East Academy University."

Suddenly Quistis heard with mounting terror the deep voice order, "Strip her of her clothing."

Quistis felt the rough hands of the guard reach out and rip her blouse completely off her upper body, while she thought rather inanely, considering her life and death situation, "Oh, I'm so glad I thought to put on a clean bra at East Academy."

On the other side of the room, Squall steeled himself against instinctively turning his head realizing that would be the reaction the tall man would be searching for as a sign of weakness.

Quistis willed herself to not struggle as the hands reached down and removed her long skirt and boots from her body. Squall kept his expression totally neutral as he watched the tall man turn his head and look straight at him. Discerning absolutely no sign of emotion on Squall's face, the tall man suddenly ordered "All of it!" while continuing to search Squall's face for a sign of weakness or desperate concern.

"I'm so sorry, Quistis" Squall thought mournfully.

"Oh Great Hyne!" Quistis thought wildly as she felt the guard's hands reach down and remove her bra and panties displaying her totally nude body to everyone present.

Squall continued to stare straight at Quistis and literally felt sick to his stomach to witness such an indignity suffered by a person he cared deeply for and not be able to do anything about it. The tall man, still watching Squall from behind his mask, asked, "What do you think of _ that _ body, Squall?"

Suddenly Quistis felt a thrill of hope course through her entire body and she immediately forgot her vow to remain in her _ role _ no matter what occurred, as she blurted out "Squall?! Are you here?"

It made Squall heartsick to remain silent, but he realized he had to.

Suddenly Quistis sensed the deep voice standing closely over her and then heard in her right ear "So Madoka from East Academy University - you're acquainted with Squall from the Garden. How very interesting, indeed. I will ask you again, Quistis Trepe, what was your mission in Deling City and who commissioned it?"

When she declined to answer, she suddenly felt a tremendous punch to her midsection almost completely knocking the breath out of her and causing tremendous pain. She became frightened he had broken some ribs.

Quistis heard the deep voice angrily say, "I will give you one more day to consider your decision of silence, before the consequences become deadly serious. Take her back to her cell."

After Quistis had been led away, the tall man strode up to Squall and advised, "If you continue to remain obstinate in this manner, you will discover that today was just the beginning. Tomorrow rape will be the nicest thing that will happen to her!"

The tall man turned to the guards and the Galbadian Secret Policeman and ordered "Return him to his cell and don't be gentle about it." And then he spun and left the cell.

* * *

Zell and Mishima had returned to the car, after eating lunch and were driving down the highway toward Timber. Mishima exclaimed, "Wow! I can't believe you ate so many hot dogs."

Zell, glancing at her, replied, "That's nothing! That wasn't even close to my personal best."

"Unbelievable" Mishima responded, giving her head a slight shake.

Zell laughed and then declared, "A couple more hours and we'll be back in Timber. I can't believe it's only been a few days, it feels like weeks."

Mishima nodded in agreement and replied, "It'll be good to see Selphie again. I hope she's okay."

"Right on!" exclaimed Zell as he pressed down on the gas pedal causing the car to accelarate on its way down the highway.

* * *

Irvine had been waiting impatiently in front of the _ Galbadia Hotel _ for over fifteen minutes after arriving exactly at noon. He was beginning to become extremely worried concerning where Rinoa was, when she suddenly stepped up behind him and whispered in his ear "Wanna party, mister?"

As Irvine whirled around, Rinoa reached out and took his arm and began walking him rapidly down the street toward the other end of Deling City.

Irvine exclaimed, "Rinoa, you're late! I was getting really worried."

"Hush," she said, "I'll tell all on the train."

"The train?" he questioned.

"Yes," Rinoa explained, "The train to Timber. Now come on, I want to make the one o'clock express." And so saying, Rinoa and Irvine hurried down the sidewalk toward the Deling City Train Station.

* * *

An hour later, Rinoa and Irvine were ensconced in a private train compartment Rinoa paid for with, according to Irvine, an obscene amount of money. Rinoa was presently comfortably sitting lengthwise on a couch with her long legs crossed. Irvine was seated across from her.

"Rinoa, where did you get all that money?" Irvine asked.

"I have a trust fund left to me by my mother I never usually touch," she explained. "But I decided, in this case, to make an exception."

"Why are we going to Timber?"

"Because," Rinoa explained, "there's no train from here to the D-District Prison."

"So come on! Tell me!" Irvine prompted.

It took Rinoa a better part of an hour to relate to Irvine her adventures after leaving the mansion in the middle of the night. She had been extremely fortunate in locating an old friend, who knew someone who could hack into the main frame of the Galbadian Justice Department that, naturally enough, included the D-District Prison computer. Rinoa was now equipped with the knowledge of the location of both Squall and Quistis. She also had, in her possession, a false I.D. in the name of Kyoko Yamashita, who was an actual person on the visiting list of a prisoner now held in the D-District Prison. The hacker had been able to transpose Rinoa's photo over the actual picture of Kyoko in the Prison's database.

"What's our immediate plan?"

"For me to take a nap. I'm exhausted," confessed Rinoa. "Wake me when we get to Timber" she requested, while laying her head down on the couch and falling asleep almost immediately.

* * *

Forty-five minutes after returning from Trabia Garden, Xu stood in front of Cid's desk outlining to him her plan of attack. "Nida will set us down closely enough, so we only have a short run to the base, although the Garden will have to instantly leave the immediate area, because we're uncertain how large an explosion it will be when we destroy the base."

Xu continued, "Seifer, Fujin and I will enter initially and disable the guards at the front gate and open it. Raijin will lead the second wave of the attack. I have shown them a basic schematic Selphie drew up, when they returned from destroying the first missile base. I have every reason to expect this Missile Base will be very similar, if not identical. They will attack in every room in which they discover Galbadian troops, while we will search out the room that holds that self-destruct mechanism. We will set the mechanism for the shortest time possible and then basically run like hell."

Cid questioned, "When will you leave?"

"Immediately" was Xu's answer.

Cid stood up and replied, "Good luck, Xu. May you all return safely."

Xu offered the SeeD salute, which Cid returned.

* * *

Xu, Seifer and Fujin stood by the front gate of the Garden anticipating their landing momentarily. She had already instructed her subordinates as to what was expected of them, after they initially entered the Missile Base. She had stressed moving quickly to incapacitate the guards in the gatehouse, rather than wasting time going for the kill. Standing behind them was a force gathered from both Gardens of approximately seventy-five male and female SeeDs and upper-classmen led by Raijin. Everone had received full instructions from Xu and understood exactly what was expected of them.

When Xu glanced behind, she noticed some of them were breathing heavy and others were literally holding their breath. She could relate to the feeling. It had been a number of years, since she had led SeeDs into actual combat. She had only served as command post when the Galbadian Garden had attacked them. When Nida settled the Garden down on the Hawkwind Plains, Xu shouted, "Go!" and led the charge out the front gate.

Dashing into the Missile Base, Xu perceived it was exactly as Selphie had described it in her report. There was a gold-colored metal barrier connected to the gatehouse. The gatehouse was, at least, half glass and behind the barrier stood a large green gate that also allowed vehicles. Xu absently wondered if she shouldn't have borrowed a truck from Trabia Garden to use to spearhead the attack, but quickly realized it was far too late to be second-guessing herself. The outside of the Missile Base had twenty-foot high walls.

One of the guards in the gatehouse called out "Who are you people?"

Not wasting any time in answering and moving rapidly, Seifer charged up to the gatehouse, with Fujin following closely on his heels. Seifer, never hesitating, cast Fira on the window causing it to explode in a thousand pieces. Seifer jumped into the gatehouse through the broken window and quickly brought the butt of his gunblade crashing down on the heads of the two Galbadian soldiers rendering them unconscious. Fujin, having already entered the gatehouse behind Seifer, reached into a pouch she was carrying on her waist and took out two pairs of handcuffs and quickly manacled the soldier's hands behind their backs.

Rushing up to the gatehouse, Xu asked, "Fujin, why do you have handcuffs?"

Seifer glanced at her and said, "Trust me. You wouldn't want to know."

As Seifer operated the mechanism that allowed the barrier and green gate to open, Fujin jumped out of the gatehouse and ran back outside the Missile Base shouting to Raijin "GO!" She then quickly reversed her field and rejoined Xu and Seifer by the front gate.

Xu, Seifer and Fujin charged into the Missile Base's macadam paved yard, followed closely by Raijin and the entire Garden force. A chain-linked fence with barbed wire on top completely surrounded the yard, which also doubled as a parking lot as there were several Galbadian Army vehicles parked nearby. There were several observational towers with radar visible in other sections of the Missile Base and some missiles standing in silos.

Encountering no resistance, Xu, Seifer and Fujin led the rest of their forces quickly to the building in the back of the yard that was the entrance to the Missile Base proper.

They raced into the small building and, after running down a short staircase, they used the Galbadian I.D. Selphie had brought back with her from their initial Missile Base assignment. Xu inserted it into the mechanism's slot, which allowed the door to open. Seifer yanked the door open and galloped through quickly, followed by Xu, Fujin and then the rest of the Garden force.

Sprinting down another staircase, they encountered their first Galbadian soldier, who was standing in front of the Missile Base circuit room. Before the soldier could react in any manner, Seifer dashed up and rendered him unconscious with the butt of his gunblade. While Seifer, Xu and Fujin continued running down another flight of stairs that led to the main floor of the Missile Base. Raijin guided some of the Garden forces into the circuit room to check out any possible Galbadian troops that could be present.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, Xu paused and waved some of their force by and pointed to the Galbadian soldier, who was standing guard in front of the room where the missiles were loaded. The guard was swarmed and five SeeDs burst through the door and began to fight with the enemy troops they encountered inside the room.

Meanwhile Xu, Seifer and Fujin raced up a short staircase to the central control room. Bursting through the door, they encountered their first resistance in the form of an officer, who was readily identified by his deep burgandy uniform and several lower ranked soldiers. Silently Seifer leaped forward and slashed at the officer wounding him severely in the rib cage. Fuijin threw her weapon at one soldier killing him outright and then again at another soldier knocking him down with a brutal wound to his left knee, leaving him incapacitated for the remainder of the fight. While Xu stepped forward and swung her bola directly down on top of a soldier's head knocking him unconscious, Seifer stepped forward and striking twice killed the last soldier standing.

Xu quickly guided Seifer and Fujin into the next room, where the self-destruct mechanism was housed. Xu ran up to the second computer on the left wall and turned to Fujin and ordered, "Tell everyone to evacuate! I'm going to set the self-destruct to go off in ten minutes. Tell them to carry the wounded. Go now!"

"DONE!" shouted Fujin as she dashed from the room.

Xu turned back to the computer and set the self-destruct mechanism to activate in ten minutes.

Immediately a loud speaker blared all over the Missile Base announcing "Evacuate! Self-destruct countdown has begun" accompanied by a loud siren followed by a countdown of the time remaining before destruction.

Xu ordered Seifer, "Let's go!"

Seifer spun and ran from the room followed closely by Xu. Running through the central control room, Seifer crossed the doorway and was already on the staircase when Xu ran through. As she was hurrying, she did not notice the Galbadian Officer was still conscious and as she crossed by him he slowly lifted his weapon and fired point blank striking Xu in the center of her back right under her shoulder blades propelling her forward. Xu stumbled at the top of the staircase and tumbled awkwardly down the entire staircase landing face forward at the bottom with a badly twisted ankle and blood flowing thickly from a substantial wound in her back.

Seifer, swiftly grasping the situation, reached down and tore a strip of cloth off his long military coat and observing the wound was high up on Xu's back and, not wanting to waste any precious seconds on social niceties, he tore Xu's uniform blouse off her back. He discovered the bullet had obliterated her bra strap on its path into her back.

Feeling the sudden cold air on her bare back, Xu gasped "Seifer, what are you doing?"

He answered, "Attempting to stem your wound" while stuffing the material from his coat into the gaping wound cutting the blood flow down slightly. He then cast several curagas onto Xu's wound helping to deaden the pain somewhat and further restricting the blood flow, but ultimately doing nothing to halt the loss of blood completely or to heal the seriousness of Xu's injury, because of the possible internal damage.

Xu felt herself drifting into shock and, with a great deal of concentration, whispered, "Seifer, my ankle is blown. I won't be able to walk. Save yourself. That's an order."

Seifer reached down and, placed the half naked young woman over his left shoulder, holding her in place with his huge left arm leaving his right hand to weld his gunblade.

He slightly staggered under Xu's weight, as he started up the staircase that led to the circuit room. When he reached the short walkway in front of the circuit room, he was suddenly attacked by a Galbadian soldier, who slightly wounded Seifer in the ribs. Seifer counterattacked and brought his gunblade ** BANG ** across the soldier's neck almost completely severing his head from his body! Seifer staggered past the falling body and began moving up the next staircase, which led to the first door they had entered.

As he was moving slowly up the staircase, Xu gasped, "Leave me, Seifer! You're going to get yourself killed too!"

"Shut up! You're distracting me," Seifer snarled.

Seifer ran through the door and up another short staircase and burst into the yard. There were two Galbadian soldiers waiting for him. He didn't hesitate, but jumped forward and, swinging his gunblade as wide as possible, ** BANG - SWISH ** he managed to knock both Galbadian soldiers off balance and, as they were falling to the ground, he raced by them and out the gate and into the snowfield. As he staggered several steps away, he heard the initial explosion from within the Missile Base and managed to take several more steps, before the entire base blew sky high propelling them further away into the soft snow banks. As Seifer lay face down in the snow with Xu resting on his back, the surrounding snow from around the Missile Base fell around them covering them completely and protecting them from the falling debris, which was all that remained of the Galbadian Missile Base.

* * *

Xu regained consciousness in the Garden clinic with Doctor Kadowaki standing over her looking down at her. She was hooked up to an I.V. feeding her glucose and another one giving her a blood transfusion.

The Doctor asked, "How are you feeling, Xu?"

"Okay" croaked Xu.

Doctor Kadowaki poured some water from the pitcher on the bedside table into a glass and bent down and allowed Xu to take a couple of swallows. "Not too much now," she cautioned.

While returning the glass to the table, the doctor explained, "Your surgery was a complete success. I was able to remove the bullet without doing you any serious damage. You're going to make it, Xu. But you are going to be on crutches for awhile, due to that bad ankle sprain. I had to cast it."

Xu questioned in a raspy voice, "Was anyone killed?"

"No" the doctor answered. "We have several serious wounds, but nothing worse than that."

"Thank Hyne" whispered Xu.

"There's something you need to know and I guess I'm the one who should tell you," the doctor explained. "Due to Seifer rescuing you at the risk of placing his own life in extreme jeopardy, Cid promoted him to a SeeD on the spot as soon as you two returned to the Garden."

Xu offered a faint smile and replied, while drifting back to sleep, "I guess you were proven right, doctor."

* * *

Selphie wandered around Timber despondently having no particular agenda in mind. She played several games of _ Triple Triad _ with _ the Rinoa groupie, _ who hung out on the trestle overlooking the train tracks, but won nothing of consequence. She visited the souvenir shop in hopes of locating some item to bring home to Irvine, but could discover nothing except for tacky knick-knacks.

Moving on further downtown, Selphie paid a visit to the _ Timber Maniacs _ Building and spent over an hour looking through past issues for any further articles by Laguna she might have overlooked in the past, but had no luck in this endeavor either.

After discovering herself walking by the _ Amphor Pub _ and being tempted to go in and have a couple bowls of sake, she recognized she'd better return to Sayoko's house.

Watts opened the door for her at Sayoko's and as she stepped into the house, she observed a strange looking cake in the shape of a train engine decorated with lit candles, sitting on the middle of the kitchen table. Gathered around the table were Brian, Sayoko, Sayoko's daughter and Zone, who shouted "Surprise, Selphie!"

Taking several steps toward the group, Selphie protested, "This isn't my birthday."

"We know that" Zone explained. "Realizing how depressed you were and loving you the way we do, we decided to do something nice for you so this is a _ cheer up _ party!" Zone boisterously replied. Suddenly a combination of conflicting emotions arose in Selphie. She felt overwhelmingly touched by their concern, but also overwhelmingly disgusted at the hideous way Zone had gone about it. Because of her fragile emotional state, Selphie began to sob and couldn't stop.

Glimpsing the shocked expressions of Watts, Zone and Sayoko and the looks of total disdain on the faces of Sayoko's daughter and Brian caused her to feel so embarrassed, she whirled and pounded up the staircase and into the bedroom slamming the door behind her.

Once Selphie was in the bedroom, she discovered, not only could she not cease her weeping, but, on the contrary, was racked with sobs even more violently.

A knock came upon the door and Zone called out "Selphie, are you okay?"

Selphie managed to say quietly, "Yes, now go away."

Hearing Zone retreat down the staircase, Selphie flung herself on the bed and continued to sob to herself. 


	16. Once Again Chapter Sixteen

Once Again

Chapter Sixteen

_Timber Reunion_

Quistis Makes a Friend

Homeward Bound

Irvine sat quietly and watched Rinoa sleep almost the entire journey to Timber. He mused to himself concerning the conflicting aspects of the beautiful young woman, who lay before him. He thought, "Rinoa can be the most scatterbrained _ ditz _ in the world one moment and then the most caring person on earth the next. And now after all she's been through over the last couple of weeks to be able to pull herself together _ just like that _ and be able to formulate plans to break into the D-District Prison to rescue Squall and Quistis is just fantastic."

The train began to slow down as it approached Timber, and just when Irvine began to lean forward to touch the sleeping beauty to wake her, Rinoa awoke. She sat up and observing Irvine staring at her, she offered him a warm smile and his heart melted on the spot.

"You feel any better?" Irvine asked solicitously.

"Yeah, a lot better. That nap set me up. I'm ready to go" Rinoa grinned.

"Where to?" Irvine questioned.

Rinoa replied, "We'll go to Sayoko's house until tonight."

"Who?" persisted Irvine.

"You know, my friend who runs the Forest Foxes" Rinoa answered. Perceiving the confusion on Irvine's face, she realized he hadn't joined them yet when they stayed at her home.

"Never mind" Rinoa said. "It isn't important. You'll meet her in a few minutes, anyway."

As soon as the train pulled into the station in front of the pet shop, Rinoa and Irvine disembarked and Rinoa guided him downtown to Sayoko's door. Knocking upon it, Rinoa stepped back and waited for it to be opened.

* * *

Mishima cautioned, "Zell, you'd better slow down a little. We're coming into the outskirts of Timber and it'd be a bummer, if we went roaring past the secret police when we're so close."

Zell eased up on the gas pedal and glanced at Mishima saying, "Your wish is my command, my princess."

Mishima laughed. "Princess? That's Rinoa, isn't it?"

Zell turned his head and stared at Mishima in surprise.

"Zell, watch the road!" Mishima ordered.

Zell, returning his attention to driving, asked "How did you know that about Rinoa? I didn't even realize you knew each other."

"I know all," Mishima replied mysteriously with an impish grin on her face.

By prior agreement with Mishima, Zell pulled off the highway right outside of Timber.

"Well, we're here" Zell said unnecessarily and then stepped out of the car.

"Yes, I can see that" Mishima replied sardonically doing the same. After Zell locked the car, the two SeeDs began their short walk into Timber.

* * *

Squall twisted and turned on his hard metal bunk attempting to escape into the narcotic of sleep, but it would not come. Suddenly sitting up, he swung his feet around onto the floor and buried his head in his hands. He realized this had gone too far and he no longer had the luxury of waiting to discover what kind of attack Garden might send in his and Quistis's behalf. He absolutely could not allow Quistis to be dragged into that cell tomorrow to undergo further hellish, perverted torture at the hands of that tall madman. Squall idly wondered who the tall man might be, not that it presently mattered.

Squall thought, "Tomorrow when they open my cell door, I can't allow them to handcuff me." He recognized he was going to need to attempt to disarm one of them and then be ready to turn the weapon on all three of them.

"It sounds impossible," he thought desolately. "But I have to try! The remainder of Quistis's life depends on me."

Squall realized then it was fortunate sleep hadn't come readily to him, because he would need to remain awake in order to be prepared, when they moved his cell back up to the prison floor.

Squall sat back against the wall his bunk was attached to and visualized in his mind exactly how he would go about springing his attack. He suddenly recognized how fortuitous it was that only one of them had come into his cell with his weapon drawn. A smile sprang to his lips. He felt better. He had a plan.

* * *

Selphie had finally cried herself out of tears and was lying in the pleasant haze of semi-lethargy that often accompanied the end of a _ good cry, _ when a sudden knock came upon the door.

"Go away, Zone!" Selphie shouted.

"Sefie, there ain't nary a Zone out here!"

Selphie screamed "Irvy!" She leaped off the bed in one fluid move, raced across the floor, ripped the door open and flung herself into Irvine's arms, who reciprocated the embrace in the strongest manner possible.

"What are you doing here?" Selphie joyously squealed.

Irvine replied, "Why, I was worried about my little darling" while he surreptitiously moved his right hand beneath Selphie's dress.

"It's so good to see you," exclaimed Selphie while she just as casually reached down with her right hand and pulled his hand up to the middle of her back.

Selphie finally stepped back from Irvine and asked, "No really, why are you here?"

Irvine explained, "Squall and Quistis are being held for execution in the D-District Prison and Rinoa and I have been assigned to get them out."

"Oh Great Shiva!" Selphie retorted. "You and Rinoa?!" she accused.

Irvine flushed slightly. "There really wasn't anybody else to send, no da."

Selphie asserted, "There is now!"

Irvine slowly shook his head and explained, "Rinoa has it all worked out. Our plans are made. We're ready to go."

Selphie slowly repeated in a disbelieving tone, "Rinoa has it all worked out? Yeah, right" she added sarcastically, "This _ is _ the woman, who can't even keep her clothes on for a few hours at a time."

"No, really" Irvine insisted, "If you don't believe me, go down and talk to her."

"Alright, I will," said Selphie while stepping past Irvine into the hall and then down the stairs to the first floor.

She observed Watts and Zone hovering around Rinoa and began to move toward her saying, "Rinoa."

Suddenly a knock came upon the door and everyone fell silent and turned toward the door.

* * *

Fifteen minutes after being escorted back to her cell and thrown viciously onto the cell floor by the guard, Quistis had remained lying in the same position trying hard not to weep from the combination of physical pain and the sheer terror she experienced during her latest interrogation session. The worst part, she thought, was not being able to see her tormenters.

Quistis thought, "Was Squall really there or did they just trick me into admitting who I was?" And if he were there, she wondered, why wouldn't he have answered?

One of the three women sitting against the other wall spoke "Look at that fine looking bitch there" and stood up and began to cross the cell to where Quistis was laying stark naked on her back. Quistis greatly wished the guard would have had the decency to return to her what was left of her clothing.

Suddenly the woman, who had spoken to Quistis two evenings earlier, arose from her customary seat in the corner and moving rapidly intercepted the other woman, before she could reach Quistis and ordered, "Back off, Babs!"

"What are you - her guardian angel?" Babs snarled.

"Yeah, I am. Want to make something of it? Is it worth it to you?" the other woman asked, clenching her right fist.

"No, I guess not," muttered Babs retreating to the far wall once again and reseating herself.

As the redheaded woman knelt by Quistis and placed her right hand on Quistis's shoulder, this first act of kindness shown to her by anyone since her arrest caused her to begin to sob uncontrollably.

The woman spoke in low tones, only Quistis could hear. "My name is Akemi and I'm a resistance fighter from Winhill. I know who you are and where you're from, because I saw you in Winhill. I can help you, if you will allow it."

* * *

After the knock came upon the door, Sayoko wondered "Who in the world might that be?"

Selphie exclaimed while moving toward the door, "There's one way to find out."

"Wait!" Sayoko's daughter ordered, "It could be the army or the secret police. Everybody should be prepared to flee."

Selphie felt the adrenaline begin to race through her body, while she noticed Zone had begun moaning and had crouched down with his back to the door and Watts raced up the stairs to the second floor. Rinoa remained in the corner and was shaking her head ruefully at the antics of her compatriots.

Sayoko's daughter moved to the door and opened it. Mishima bounded in happily followed by Zell.

Rinoa exclaimed, "Mishima!" while stepping forward rapidly and embracing her in a hug. "It's so good to see you again, sweetheart."

Zell thought, "I'll be damned. She does know Rinoa."

Selphie thought, "There it is again - that sweetheart thing. I just don't get it."

After Sayoko's daughter closed the front door, the room quickly became bedlam with Watts returning from the second floor and Zone regaining his feet talking to Rinoa, who was speaking to Mishima. Irvine began talking to Zell, who was responding in a loud voice. Brian began conversing with Sayoko and Watts.

"Wait a minute!" Selphie shouted. As everyone froze, she continued, "What the hell is going on here? Let's get this organized."

"Selphie's right" Rinoa agreed. "Let's go upstairs and coordinate our plans."

Everyone, except Sayoko and her daughter, retreated upstairs and crowded into the bedroom that Selphie and Brian had been using.

Two hours later a basic agreement had been reached. It was decided that, for security reasons, the SeeDs who were returning to Balamb should travel in pairs and not use the same route. Irvine and Rinoa were going to acquire some sleep, so they could leave Timber in the middle of the night in order to reach the D-District Prison early in the morning. Selphie and Mishima would drive back to Dollet in the morning and travel by boat to Balamb. Zell and Brian would ride the train to Balamb and hopefully locate Kasumi and Shinji.

Rinoa stood up from where she had been seated in the corner on the floor and explained, "I guess that's it. If you would excuse me, I need to get some rest."

Selphie rose up from her seat on her bed and, hugging Rinoa, whispered in her ear "Good luck."

Selphie turned and demanded, "Come on everybody - downstairs."

After everyone had vacated the room, Rinoa lay down on Selphie's bed and thought, _ "Good luck! _ I'm going to need a lot more than that."

* * *

Seifer, Fujin and Raijin were seated at a cafeteria table having their dinner. Each was dressed in their new SeeD uniform, although Seifer was still wearing his long coat over his.

Raijin wondered, "What's Squall gonna think when he comes back and we're all SeeDs, na da?"

"I don't care," answered Seifer in a flat tone.

"Yes you do!" exclaimed Fujin firmly.

Seifer glanced up with a start of surprise and half of hot dog frozen in midair in front of his open mouth.

"You've always cared, often too much so. That's why you felt you always had to defeat him. You thought it would make him respect you. Well, he always respected your fighting ability. It was your other behavior he couldn't respect. When he learns what you did today, he will _ respect _ that."

Seifer finished chewing his hot dog and murmured, "Arigato."

Cid walked by their table escorting Edea from the cafeteria. They paused and Edea leaned down placing a hand on Seifer's arm and praised, "That was a wonderfully brave thing you did for Xu today."

"Thank you, Matron."

Cid explained, "I need you three to thoroughly search Akane's room and, also ask around and discover if she was close with anybody, besides Rinoa, and what she might have shared with them."

"YES" Fujin complied.

"And Seifer," Cid continued, "I need you to sit in morning staff meeting, until Xu is up and around."

As Cid and Edea continued on their way through the cafeteria, Raijin exclaimed, "Morning staff meeting, no da! You're gonna be the next Xu, no da."

While Fujin began to laugh, Seifer stood up and ordered, Shut up! Let's go." He began striding out of the cafeteria followed by the laughing Fujin and Raijin.

* * *

Quistis managed to regain her composure in a few minutes and sat up on the cell floor. Akemi helped Quistis to regain her feet and guided her over to a corner of the cell, where the two women sat down with their backs to the wall. Quistis sat huddled in an attempt to hide as much of her nakedness as possible from the prying eyes of the three women seated along the far wall. Quistis now realized what Rinoa must have felt like that day back at the Garden and was sorry she laughed when she first heard of it.

Quistis responded, "Thank you for saving me from that troglodyte, but how else can you help me?"

"I know where they house the captured weapons."

Quistis questioned suspiciously, "What do you get out of this?"

Akemi answered simply "I escape with you."

"Why do you need me?"

Akemi nodded toward the three women sitting against the far wall and explained, "You think those three clowns over there are interested in escaping or, even if they were, would be able to effect one?"

Akemi suddenly asked, "Is there anyone else in here with you?"

Quistis nodded. "One other."

"Squall?" Akemi ventured.

Quistis's eyes grew wide in surprise. "You really do _ know _ about us."

"Oh," Akemi explained, "I doubt there's too many people who haven't heard of Squall."

"But how do we get out of this cell to get to the weapons?"

"Ah," Akemi spoke. "That's the fly in the ointment."

* * *

It was three o'clock in the morning. Rinoa had been awake for two hours, because her anticipation and anxiety had awakened her. There were people sleeping everywhere, doubled up on beds and sleeping on the floor. She had indulged herself with a long hot shower, shampooed her hair and styled it, applied her makeup very carefully and put on a heavy dose of perfume. She had a need to look extra good for this assignment.

She crept on tiptoes over to the bed, where Irvine was laying across one end and leaned down and whispered, waking him. Irvine awoke immediately, feeling tense himself and quickly sat up and, pulling on his boots, he stood up and gathered his hat and coat off the floor.

They did not speak, until they were out on the street.

"What time does the train leave?" Irvine questioned.

"In fifteen minutes, we need to hurry."

The train to the D-District Prison was boarded at a small kiosk outside of the _ Amphor Pub. _ They strode purposely through the darkened streets rapidly, passing no one. They arrived at the station with time to spare and Rinoa again purchased a private compartment ticket for the two of them.

Once they entered the private compartment, Rinoa lay across one of the benches and explained, "This trip should take three and a half hours. I hope to sleep through most of it. Please wake me when we're nearing the prison." She then closed her eyes forestalling any further conversational opportunities for Irvine.

"Good night" he spoke dryly.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Irvine and Rinoa, Selphie was awake when they left, but hesitated saying anything to them, feeling as though she had already said her tearful goodbyes to Irvine. Tossing and turning unable to return to sleep, Selphie decided to arise and be prepared for an early start on their trip to Dollet, after Mishima had arisen for the day.

Throwing off her sheet, Selphie tiptoed around the room gathering up her belongings and carried them with her into the bathroom. She stood under another long hot shower and had just emerged from it sopping wet when a gentle knock came upon the bathroom door.

"It figures" Selphie thought. "Who is it?" she whispered.

"It's Mishima, let me in."

"But I'm not dressed. I just got out of the shower," Selphie complained.

"So what? I'm a girl too, na da" came the answer from outside the door.

Selphie reluctantly opened the door and Mishima squeezed into the small bathroom.

"Good morning" whispered Mishima.

To Selphie's great alarm, Mishima began to strip off her clothing. "What are you doing?" demanded Selphie.

Mishima glanced bemusedly at Selphie and answered, "I'm going to take a shower."

As Mishima dropped the last of her clothing onto the floor and stepped into the shower, Selphie's eyes widened at the young SeeD's spectacular figure.

Mishima noticed Selphie staring at her and asked, "Something wrong?"

Selphie tersely answered "No" and glanced away, beginning to towel off. She dressed as quickly as possible and applied her makeup and brushed her hair in record time, so she wouldn't be there when Mishima emerged from the shower.

Leaving the bathroom, she thought to herself, "At least I can see why all the guys think she's a _ sweetheart." _

Selphie quietly located all of her possessions and stuffed them into her backpack, dirty laundry included. She thought to herself she would certainly be glad to return to the Garden, so she could have a clean outfit to wear. She suddenly excitedly remembered the Garden might still be in Trabia and she could visit her old friends again.

She thought, "It'd be great to see Kaede again. I hope they repaired the coffee shop, so we can get some cheesecake."

Having packed everything, Selphie sat down on the edge of the bed and waited patiently for Mishima to be finished with her shower. When she emerged from the bathroom, Selphie waved her over and asked, "What do you think about getting an early start?"

"I was just thinking the same thing. There's really no reason not to."

The only thing Mishima had been able to salvage from when she had to flee Timber was her makeup kit, so she was ready to leave. On the way out, Selphie left Zell a note on the kitchen table explaining they had left for Dollet. The two of them stepped into the street and Selphie locked the door behind them. They quickly and quietly walked out of Timber.

* * *

Selphie and Mishima had been on the road for almost an hour with Selphie behind the wheel, when Mishima suddenly commented out of the blue, "That girlfriend of Zell's is certainly a lucky young woman, don't you think?"

Selphie responded "Huh" noncommittally, wondering where this conversation was headed.

"Yeah," Mishima continued, "if it weren't for her, I wouldn't mind hitting on that stuff myself."

Selphie thought, "Aha! I knew it!"

"So when are you and Irvine going to get married?" Mishima asked.

Selphie blanched and almost drove off the road. "Married! We haven't discussed marriage. I'm too young to get married."

Mishima laughed and parried, "Oh, come on now! Plenty of girls in Dollet are married at your age. What's the matter? Don't you love Irvine?"

Selphie responded, speaking slowly "Yes, I love Irvine very much, but the subject of marriage just hasn't come up."

Mishima turned and looked seriously at Selphie. "You _ do _ know Irvine isn't the type to hang around forever without some encouragement and I've seen the way you treat him."

Sephie asked sarcastically, "So what's your point?"

"I think it means Irvine realizes how incredibly wonderful you are and he could never find anyone better than you."

Tears appeared in Selphie's eyes as she thought to herself, "They're right. She is a sweetheart."

* * *

Standing on the lip of the Grandidi Forest overlooking the Great Plains of Esthar, General Caraway swept his high-powered binoculars in a panoramic view.

"General, it looks as if almost every bit of the Esthar Army is out there" said the General's aide. "We're outnumbered almost two to one."

"Yes, I can see that, Major" General Caraway answered dryly.

"I wonder how they could have known to expect a surprise attack?"

"Yes, I wonder," answered the General thoughtfully, while fully realizing how Esthar would have come by this information. "Get me Deling City on the phone. I need to confer with the President."

"Sir, the President isn't at the capital. He's at the D-District Prison incognito interrogating some spies from the Garden and can't be reached," explained the Major.

General Caraway kept his face expressionless while he ordered, "Then get me General Loo over at First Regimental Headquarters." The Major quickly did as ordered and then handed General Caraway the military field phone. "He's waiting, sir."

General Caraway took the phone and spoke into it. "Good morning, General. Yes, I'm surprised too. No, I'm going to confer with the President, regarding whether he desires the invasion to proceed. Remain at combat-readiness, but do not attack unless provoked. Yes, I will get back to you as soon as I return from conferring with the President. Yes, thank you, General."

Handing the phone back to his aide, General Caraway ordered, "Get me military transport to the D-District Prison immediately."

"Yes sir!" the Major responded snapping up a salute.

* * *

The pigtail girl sat at an extremely early morning coffee shop table by herself. She felt miserable with all her friends absent from the Garden and she was particularly worried about Zell. She couldn't fathom why the Garden hadn't received a message from, at least, one of the people, who had been sent out on assignment.

She had attempted to fill her loneliness with extra time spent at the library and study, but that hadn't worked out because the library closed just before the dinner hour and she was already receiving straight A's in all her classes. To further fill out her schedule, she had volunteered to stand on the around the clock watch of Akane. But Akane would stand there and stare back at her and shout obscenities and make obscene gestures at her the entire shift. The pigtail girl blushed at the memory of one night when Akane suddenly turned her back, bent over and pulled down her underwear and waggled her bare behind at her! The pigtail girl has never witnessed such a gross display.

But, in a sense, she didn't blame Akane. She blamed Headmaster Cid. She didn't care what Akane had done in Headmaster Cid's office. She thought Akane should have been given some demerits and sent back to class. "That Headmaster Cid," she thought, "should be reported to someone!"

Perceiving by her watch she could now open the library early, she dragged herself up from the table and trudged from the coffee shop.

* * *

Three and a half hours after leaving Timber, Selphie and Mishima drove into Dollet. Parking the car by the Rent-A-Car, Selphie placed the keys under the front seat, not caring about obtaining any of the deposit placed on the car.

It too Selphie and Mishima thirty minutes to walk down to the lower end of Dollet. Mishima guided Selphie to the house, where the resistance had hidden Shinji. She was disappointed her friend wasn't in town, because she desired to have Selphie meet him but, at least, they were assured by the remaining resistance members, there wouldn't be any difficulty in tramsporting them to Balamb by water.

An hour later, they were docking in Balamb and Mishima stepped out of the boat first and then held her hand out to assist Selphie, who scrambled out quickly. Never looking back, the two young women stepped lively up past the dock area and then the hotel. Rounding the corner of the intersection, they knocked on the door of Zell's mother's house. 


	17. Once Again Chapter Seventeen

Once Again

Chapter Seventeen

_The Great Escape_

Rinoa's Physical Exam

Selphie's Surprise

Trabia Bound

As the train began to slow during its approach to the D-District Prison Train Station, Irvine arose and, crossing to Rinoa, leaned down and lightly touched the sleeping beauty, who awakened immediately. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she sat up and asked, "What time is it?"

"A little after seven," he answered.

"Good, we're right on schedule. The guards change shifts at seven so we'll most likely be dealing with guards, who haven't been up long and will be susceptible to persuasion."

Rinoa stood up and directed, "We need to hurry."

Rinoa and Irvine wasted no time exiting the train. As they crossed the Great Plains of Galbadia, Rinoa outlined the specifics of her plan to Irvine. As they were approaching the front gate of the prison, Rinoa ordered, "Let me do all the talking."

There was a small guardhouse connected to the front gate. The guardhouse was nothing more than a squat red-bricked building, no larger than a room. It contained a desk and chair for the guard and a computer that housed a link to the central prison mainframe. There was one window on the door that allowed the guard to monitor approaching traffic.

As Rinoa and Irvine approached the guardhouse, the guard stepped out to challenge them. Rinoa noted with satisfaction he appeared bleary eyed.

Rinoa stepped forward and handed her I.D. over to the guard, while saying "Kyoko Yamashita here to visit William Thompson."

"I need to check this out" the guard replied gruffly and returned to the guardhouse.

It seemed to Rinoa, because of her heightened anxiety, that the guard didn't return for an interminable length of time, but it was actually only a couple of minutes before he reappeared returning her I.D.

"Okay, it checked out" he replied. "I need to search you for weapons and drugs."

Rinoa wasn't surprised to hear this, as she had expected to submit to a salacious _ patting down _ by a guard; what she hadn't expected was the guard ordering, "Remove all your clothing."

"What?!" shouted Irvine.

Rinoa, placing her right hand on Irvine's arm and squeezing it hard, leaned over and hissed, "Shut the hell up!"

Rinoa immediately retreated to a secret compartment in her mind, where she searched for the strength she was going to need to survive this ordeal and rescue Squall.

Rinoa betowed a smile upon the guard and slowly began to disrobe. After pulling off her long blue vest, she removed her blouse and then pushed her black shorts down to the ground and stepped out of them. Now only wearing shoes, and a bra and panties, she knelt down and, untying her shoes, pulled them off. Standing back up, Rinoa leaned over slightly while reaching behind her and, unclasped her bra, removing it from her body and then pushed her panties down to the ground and stepped out of them.

Rinoa stepped back from her clothing on the ground and stood totally nude beside Irvine who was outright staring at her with glazed eyes and his mouth agape.

Rinoa made no effort to cover herself and instead stared brazenly at the guard, who was allowing his eyes to run over every inch of her naked form, because she realized the guard would love to see her cowering and simpering and she refused to give him the satisfaction.

"Hmmm, nice," the guard commented as he bent down and gathered up her clothing. While the guard throughly checked her clothing, Rinoa remembered that it was finally this sort of abuse of power that the Galbadian government welded over its own citizens that brought about the final schism between her and her father. She could never accept that he defended this type of behavior and she could never forgive either.

"Okay" the guard said, handing her clothing back. As Rinoa began to breathe a sigh of relief, the guard further ordered, "Step inside the guardhouse. I need to complete the full body cavity search."

Rinoa's mind went completely blank with horror for a second, but as she felt Irvine stirring into action beside her, she turned and gave him the coldest stare she could muster causing him to surrender whatever his intentions were.

Rinoa turned to the guard smiling and answered "Certainly" and allowed herself to be led into the guardhouse. After the guard closed the door, he pulled a curtain down on the window effectively blocking Irvine's view.

Irvine fidgeted outside the guardhouse feeling completely useless.

Fifteen minutes later, the guard opened the guardhouse door and Rinoa stepped out stark naked holding her clothing.

As the guard remained in the guardhouse to contact the next guard inside the prison gate, Rinoa quickly donned her apparel and then went and stood beside Irvine.

Beside her, Irvine whispered, "What happened?"

"The little pervert did a fully body cavity search. The _ sicko _ really got off on it."

Rinoa glanced at Irvine, whose mouth was agape in shock and threatened "If you ever breathe a word of this to anyone, I"ll tell Selphie about-." Rinoa leaned over and whispered into Irvine's ear. Irvine flushed bright red and excitedly asked, "How do you know about that?"

Rinoa declined to comment, but instead smiled maliciously at him.

The guard stepped out of the guardhouse and escorted Rinoa to the locked gate. Unlocking the gate, he handed her over to the next guard.

The guard walked Rinoa down a long outside ramp that served as the passageway to the prison proper. At the end of the ramp, they walked down stairs to the fourteenth floor.

"In here" the guard ordered motioning Rinoa to follow him into an office. He closed the door behind them and turned to face her.

"I need to discover if William Thompson is presently eligible to receive visitors," the guard explained and turned toward the central computer. This was the moment Rinoa had been most dreading. She rapidly approached the guard and gripped the back of his head with both hands and slammed his head down as hard as she could onto the computer console. The guard groaned and began to stagger backwards, while Rinoa quickly removed the open handcuffs he had hanging from a belt loop and pulling his arms behind him, manacled him! Before he could begin to alert others by shouting, she slammed his head down on the console again, rendering him unconscious.

Rinoa took her long blue vest and wrapped it around the guard's mouth several times and tightly tied the loose ends to the handcuffs behind him. She checked carefully to be certain she hadn't totally blocked his ability to breathe. She didn't want to kill him! She simply desired to prevent him from warning others. Rinoa briefly regretted the loss of her vest, but was somewhat mollified by the fact she had another one hanging in her closet back at the Garden.

Being a large man and dead weight, it took Rinoa several precious minutes to drag him over to a supply closet and lay him in. Just before shutting the closet door, Rinoa reached down and retrieved his ring of keys.

The hacker in Deling City had provided Rinoa with the location of Squall and Quistis. Since Quistis was in a regular cell, Rinoa hoped to release her first, because she was certain she would require some assistance with the central control arm to ultimately release Squall.

Quistis's cell was located on the eleventh floor and Rinoa prayed she could reach there without encountering too much opposition. Just in case, before her flight down the staircase, she pushed the ring of keys down her shorts and carried her I.D. in her hand. If stopped, she hoped to brazen it out claiming to be a lost visitor. Rinoa began running down the staircase to the thirteenth floor.

* * *

Selphie almost became hysterical, when Zone opened the door of Zell's mother's house. "Oh great balls of Ifrit!" she thought.

Being unable to control herself, she snapped, "What in the hell are you doing here?"

Selphie instantly regretted this, as she perceived the hurt expression of Zone as he simpered, "But Selphie, I've come to be with you."

Beside her, Mishima began to giggle. Zell came walking out of the living room and suggested loudly they shut the door and _ quit putting their business in the street. _

Closing the door behind them, Selphie and Mishima stepped into the house. Deciding to avoid the entire issue with Zone at the present time, Selphie turned to Zell and asked "Are Kasumi and Shinji here?"

Zell responded, "Yeah, and it's good you're back. We need to get him to the Garden, as soon as possible, because he isn't getting any better."

Plans were organized quickly for a neighbor to provide transportation for them, Zone included, to the Ragnarok in his truck. A half an hour later, after a brief argument over who was going to pilot, the Ragnarok lifted off the ground bound for Trabia.

* * *

When Quistis heard the key being inserted into the cell door, she immediately became terror stricken concerning what it meant. She thought wildly, "Oh great Hyne! I don't know if I can handle it this time!"

She reached out and gently shook Akemi awake, who had fallen asleep on the cell floor. Akemi looked up questioningly and Quistis silently pointed at the cell door that was opening. Quistis struggled to her feet in anticipation of the guards entering the cell and futilely attempted to cover her nudity with her hands, when Rinoa entered the cell.

Quistis gasped in surprise while Akemi arose to her feet and said dryly to Quistis, "Somebody you know?"

After closing the unlocked cell door behind her, Rinoa took two short steps to Quistis and embraced her in a hug. "Are you okay?" asked Rinoa.

Quistis replied, "How did you get in here, Rinoa?"

Rinoa stepped back. "Never mind that. We need to release Squall!"

Suddenly Rinoa realised Quistis was stark naked and she asked puzzled, "Where are your clothes?"

"They destroyed my clothing during interrogation.

"Well, you can't go running around the prison like that" Rinoa replied stating the obvious, while glancing around the cell. Her gaze fell on the woman with the dirty blonde wig, who was seated on the floor against the far wall between two other women. Rinoa began stepping toward her.

The woman observing Rinoa advancing toward her with what appeared to be a mad gleam in her eye struggled to her feet in an attempt to protect herself. Rinoa knocked her back against the wall and proceeded to strip her quickly of her blouse and skirt! As Rinoa turned and handed the outfit to Quistis, the woman regained her feet wearing only a thong and holding her arm across her substantial breasts.

"Uh, Rinoa," Quistis said, "This skirt leaves a lot to be desired."

Rinoa turned and observed Quistis had placed the extremely short skirt on over her extremely long legs leaving Quistis indecently exposed below her waist. Rinoa bit her lip to keep from laughing in her face.

The woman, whose clothes were currently in question, suddenly spoke loudly. "Hey! Give me back my clothes!"

Rinoa whirled and pulled the woman's thong completely off her body, noticing the woman's actual hair color was dark brown. Rinoa threatened in a low deadly tone, "If you make one more sound, I will beat you to the very inch of your life."

The now stark naked inmate stared at Rinoa for a moment and then decided Rinoa was truly insane and capable of anything and sat back down on the cold cell floor. Rinoa handed the thong to Quistis, who quickly pulled it up under her short skirt.

"This isn't a whole lot better," Quistis complained, as her thong was clearly visible.

"So what?" Rinoa questioned. "At least you're completely covered and we're not going to a fashion parade anyway."

Akemi nudged Quistis in the ribs as a not so subtle reminder that she was still there.

Quistis spoke, "Rinoa, this is Akemi. She's a resistance fighter from Winhill and has helped me a great deal, since I first got here."

Rinoa spoke sincerely, "Then I personally am in your debt. Thank you so much for taking such good care of Quistis."

As Akemi slightly bowed, Quistis announced, "She knows where they keep the captured weapons."

"What are we waiting for?" asked Rinoa.

* * *

When the three women reached the desired cell on the twelfth floor, they discovered the cell door was locked. Rinoa reached down in her shorts and pulled out the ring of keys and began frantically searching for the proper key.

"Man, you come prepared" Quistis commented.

Rinoa ignored her and finally located the appropriate key and inserted it into the lock of the cell door. As they stepped into the cell, they cast their eyes on a veritable treasure house of weapons. Rinoa observed everything from gunblades to Esthar picks to machineguns.

While Quistis searched for her _ Save the Queen _ and Squall's _ Lion Heart, _ Rinoa rummaged through crates of weapons searching for something suitable for her and Akemi, who had said she would prefer a handgun. Akemi was busy checking the hallway for guards.

Quistis had just located her's and Squall's weapon and Rinoa had finished fastening the weapon mechanism on her arm to hold a _ Cardinal, _ when Akemi shouted "Guards!"

Two guards burst into the cell and, observing what they thought were three escaped prisoners holding weapons, opened fire on Akemi, who caught a burst of bullets in her upper chest.

Quistis screamed "NO!!" and suddenly experienced such adrenaline coursing through her body that, when she brought _ Save the Queen _ down on a guard's head, it killed him outright.

Rinoa flew into a rage of her own and advancing quickly on the remaining guard, she eschewed the use of her _ Cardinal _ and instead yanked the weapon from the hands of the preoccupied guard, who was watching his partner fall to the ground dead. Rinoa proceeded to thrash him with the butt of his own weapon around his head and shoulders repeatedly, while shouting in frustration, "You idiots! She was unarmed!"

Quistis had meanwhile knelt by Akemi, who was bleeding profusely from her wounds. "I forgot to duck," Akemi whispered.

"Rinoa!" Quistis said urgently, "Leave him! He's unconscious already."

Rinoa whirled and cast several curagas on Akemi, which helped with her pain somewhat but could do nothing for her fatal internal injuries.

"I should have used my _ limit break" _ Akemi whispered.

"Boy, you do know a lot about us" Quistis spoke with a gentle smile.

Quistis said, "We have to get you out of here."

Akemi gently shook her head. "You can't escape from here yourselves and take me too. Besides, I'll be dead before you leave this cell."

Tears began to flow freely down Quistis's face, as Akemi reached up with her hand and squeezed Quistis's arm. "You get to Squall and you all get out of here!"

"I can't leave you" Quistis cried.

"Don't be foolish" replied Akemi. "If you're ever in Winhill, please look up that old lady that runs the flower shop. That's my grandmother."

"I will," whispered Quistis, as she perceived the light fade from Akemi's eyes.

Quistis leaned over and gently closed Akemi's eyes. Meanwhile Rinoa had manacled the guard's hands behind his back with his own handcuffs.

Rinoa crossed to Quistis and placing a hand on her shoulder said, "I'm so sorry, Quistis."

Quistis looked up with a tear stained face and replied, "Me too. She would have been a good friend."

Rinoa said, breaking the mood, "We need to hurry! Someone could come to the front gate anytime now and the guard I left tied up would be discovered."

Quistis stood up and asked tersely, "Where to?"

"The arm control room on the floor above us."

The young women fled the cell and started up the staircase. Two minutes later, they were standing in front of the arm control panel.

"Which cell is he in?" Quistis asked.

"25AAA" answered Rinoa.

Quistis imputed the necessary information and then pushed the button that would move Squall's cell out from its present location. After that, she pushed the other button bringing him up to the twelfth floor and deposited his cell down on the prison floor.

"Let's go!" Quistis ordered.

* * *

Squall was sitting on his bunk with his head resting in his hands, as he felt the cell begin to move. He had been awake all night in nervous anticipation and had visualized in his mind repeatedly exactly what he was going to do.

He realized the cell had settled onto the prison floor and he stood by the cell door waiting patiently for it to be opened. It seem to him that it took longer for them to open the cell door than it had previously. As the cell door began to open, he tensed his muscles in anticipation of his first move, when suddenly the door opened and Rinoa walked in!

Squall was so startled by this amazing turn of events, he was stunned and unable to speak or move. Rinoa, also feeling too overwhelmed at this point to speak, simply threw herself into his arms and hugged him so hard she was afraid he would break. Squall felt a great sense of relief when he observed Quistis standing behind Rinoa.

Rinoa stepped back from her embrace, kissed him once on the lips and said, "We've got to hurry!"

As she turned to leave the cell, Quistis threw Squall his _ Lion Heart _ and he snatched it expertly out of midair.

* * *

As Rinoa raced out on the top floor of the D-District Prison, along with Squall and Quistis, she quickly perceived her worst fears had been realized. The guard, who she had sequestered in the closet, was speaking to the leader of a squad of ten Galbadian soldiers, who obviously were preparing to sweep through the prison searching for them.

Just as the soldiers noticed their entrance onto the top floor, Squall yelled to Quistis and Rinoa, "Get ready!"

Rinoa, remembering the indignities she had suffered earlier in the day, thought "I haven't come this far to be stopped now!"

As Squall and Quistis were preparing to spring into attack against practically impossible odds, Rinoa suddenly cast _ Quezacotl! _ As the great-feathered bird arose from her, the sky darkened, thunder rumbled loudly and lightning flashed and crashed all over the prison floor. When _ Quezacotl _ arose to its greatest height, it then released its true power and lay all twelve of their enemies dying on the prison floor.

As Squall turned and grinned at Rinoa, she urged, "Let's move!"

They raced down the long ramp and through the prison gate, which had been left inexplicitly open when the squad of soldiers had entered. As soon as Irvine noticed them run through the open gate, he raised up his weapon from beneath his long coat and held it on the guard, who had come running out of the guardhouse to discover what all the commotion was.

Irvine glanced at Squall and asked, "How are you?"

Squall answered with a slight grin, "Okay - now."

Irvine then noticed Quistis in her extremely short skirt, which didn't begin to cover the thong she wore underneath and exclaimed with a leer on his face, "Hey Quistis! Nice oufit!"

Quistis blushed deeply and ducked her head greatly embarrassed.

Irvine asked Rinoa, "So what's the grand plan now?"

"I don't know" Rinoa admitted ruefully.

* * *

The Galbadian Military Transport Plane landed just outside of D-District Prison. As General Caraway stepped down the ramp from the plane, his mind was in a quandary. He had traveled here solely to rescue Squall and Quistis from the clutches of the President, but had no idea how he was going to accomplish this. He had heard some horrible rumors in the past, concerning the President's interrogation sessions.

So it was with a great sense of relief and amazement, when he was striding toward the front gate of the prison, that he observed the young people in question rushing out. His heart quickened, when he perceived one of them was Rinoa.

Squall hurried to the General and declared, "Well met, General."

General Caraway ordered, "Get on board now!"

He couldn't help but notice Rinoa had skirted around him and appeared to be arguing with Squall, who finally clutched her by the hand and literally dragged her on board.

The General followed them up the ramp and a moment later the Galbadian plane lifted off the ground, destination presently uncertain. 


	18. Once Again Chapter Eighteen

Once Again

Chapter Eighteen

_Home Again, Home Again,_

Zone's Surprise

Squall's Treat

Kasumi's Blessing

Zell's Punishment

Cid began morning staff meeting by nodding at Doctor Kadowaki and saying "I would like to thank the doctor for agreeing to attend these meetings, until Xu is able to get up and around. By the way, how is Xu, doctor?"

"She's doing as well as can be expected, given the seriousness of her wounds. But I wouldn't expect her to be her old self anytime soon."

Turning to Seifer and Fujin, Cid asked "Any luck with discovering anything in Akane's room?"

Fujin replied, "SOME."

Seifer elaborated, "We discovered this small transmitter hidden in her room" and held up an object that could pass for a fountain pen at first glance. "They must have this calibrated exactly to the pressure of Akane's touch because when I pushed it, the transmitter shut down and completely fused together."

"So this means that Deling City is now aware we've probably discovered Akane is a spy and she is in custody," commented the doctor.

Seifer nodded while Fujin agreed "YES."

"We spoke with her roommate," Seifer explained, "and she told us there was a boy named Arnaz, who Akane was thick with for a couple of days and then he seemed to disappear into thin air. We checked your records and we've never had a student here by that name, so chances are he was a confederate of her's and was used as a messenger."

"How do you suppose Deling City learned about Squall's mission in the first place to realize to assign a spy here?" the doctor questioned.

Cid answered patiently, "They didn't know anything about it initially. It was just a fluke Akane showed up here, just after the assignment by Esthar. My best guess is Mamoru is planning a takeover of the Garden and he assigned her to just gather as much information as she could about our present structure and functioning, so he could pinpoint some weakness."

Seifer spoke up, "One of our major weaknesses is our security system sucks! I'm sorry, Cid, but we've gotta do something."

Cid flushed, but aknowledged Seifer was correct in his assessment. Cid continued, "I'm placing you and Fujin in charge of our internal security program as of now."

Seifer nodded in satisfaction and shot a look at Fujin, who grinned.

Doctor Kadowaki persisted. "But why was Akane in such an all fired hurry to break into your file cabinets that it caused her to be noticed and ultimately caught? It doesn't seem to fit in at all with the other sophisticated acting she displayed, since entering the Garden."

Cid replied, "She was searching for Mamoru's file from his SeeD days. Since we were in Trabia, she was probably planning on leaving for the Missile Base that very night. In fact, she would have gotten away with it, except for one thing. I had moved Mamoru's file to the safe in my apartment. She also stole his picture from the library and probably destroyed it."

"But speaking of Akane," Cid continued, "how is she doing?"

"Not too well" the doctor admitted. "I entered the disciplinary room last evening to talk with her and she attacked me and ripped all my clothes off before I could be rescued."

"What?!" Cid shouted. "Who gave permission for that?"

Doctor Kadowaki stared at Cid with a sudden steely gaze. "I did, Cid, as Chief Medical Officer for the Garden."

Cid glanced away momentarily and apologized for his abrupt manner. Returning his gaze to the doctor, he suggested, "How about we try having Edea go in with Fujin as protection and attempting to reach her? Edea is wonderful with damaged children."

The doctor was impressed and replied, "That's an excellent idea, Cid. Will you make sure to follow up on that?"

"Certainly" Cid assured her. 

* * *

General Caraway sat in the cockpit as the plane flew over the Trabia snowfields searching for the Garden. Initially upon entering the plane, the General had allowed the four young people their privacy, but had finally managed to spend a few minutes alone with Squall, who suggested they search for the Garden in Trabia, because Rinoa had informed him that's where it had been two days previous.

Sitting beside him, the pilot had serious reservations concerning what he was presently involved in, but being unwilling to challenge the ultimate authority of General Caraway, he continued to pilot the plane, as ordered. The General felt an immense sadness to be this close to Rinoa and yet still, in actuality, he may as well have been a thousand miles away. He was frightened, if he attempted to speak with her, she would speak to him in a manner that would rend his already broken heart further. He decided it would be much better for all concerned, if he continued to stay away from her.

"Over there!" General Caraway suddenly exclaimed, pointing to his right where the Ragnarok sat gleaming on the snowfield next to the Garden.

"Set her down over there" ordered the General.

"Yes sir!" responded the pilot.

General Caraway stepped down the portable ramp from the plane after the four young adults had already disembarked. He watched as Squall and Rinoa walked together arm in arm and Quistis, now wearing Irvine's coat, walked beside a laughing Irvine. Squall glanced back and offered the General a wink of his right eye and the General nodded in return. After they disappeared into the Garden, the General turned and motioned to the pilot to take off and then purposefully strode into the Garden.

* * *

Fujin suddenly exclaimed, "ELEVATOR!"

Sure enough, as the people seated at the table instinctively turned towards the elevator, they could hear the faint hum of the elevator approaching the third floor.

Cid sat wondering who could be so bold to interrupt morning staff meeting uninvited and was happily surprised, when the elevator door opened and Zell, Mishima, Selphie and Brian sprang into view.

As surprised as the people, who were seated around the table, were at the sudden appearance of the four SeeDs, it did not begin to hold a candle to the shock and amazement Selphie experienced when she beheld the sight of Seifer and Fujin wearing Seed uniforms and sitting in the Garden morning staff meeting.

Selphie thought to herself, "What in the hell has happened here since we left?"

Cid stood up happily and, holding his arms out, invited "Everybody, come sit down."

Mishima moved to Doctor Kadowaki and leaned down and informed her of the condition of Shinji.

The doctor stood immediately and spoke to Cid. "You must excuse me. I have an emergency." And she quickly entered the elevator and rode down to the first floor.

Zell also noticed the SeeD uniforms on Fujin and Seifer and, as he sat down he glanced at Mishima, who had now seated herself, to note her reaction and she stuck her tongue out at him.

Zell began to laugh as Cid requested, "I need a full report from everyone involved naturally, but first I want to hear any update you might have involving the possible rescue of Squall and Quistis."

As Zell proceeded to fill Cid in, as best he could, regarding their contact with Rinoa and Irvine the night before, Selphie, who was sitting beside Fujin, began to read the notes she had taken of the meeting thus far. When Selphie began to read the portion of the notes concerning Akane, she suddenly exclaimed, "What the hell?!"

Zell fell silent and, as everyone seated at the table turned to look at her, Selphie asked, "Why is Akane being held in the disciplinary room?"

Cid replied, "Selphie please! We'll explain all this to you in order, but I'm extremely concerned about Squall and Quistis."

Suddenly Fujin exclaimed, "ELEVATOR!"

As soon as the elevator doors opened and Squall, Quistis, Rinoa and Irvine stepped out, the room appeared to explode in a cacophony of noise, as everyone began speaking loudly in their excitement simultaneously.

Cid stood up to attempt to restore some order to the room, but was ineffectual.

Selphie, as was her wont, was also attempting to restore some sanity and finally achieved success by screaming "SHUT UP!" As everyone fell silent, Cid declared, "Everybody, please sit down." After everyone in the room had gained a seat, Cid continued, "I'm sure all of you, who have just returned, have things to do more important than sitting in a meeting, such as, taking a real shower or doing some laundry or acquiring some much needed rest, so I'll attempt to not keep you much longer. But there are some things I would like to say to all of you."

Cid glanced at Rinoa and spoke. "Rinoa, I really don't have the slightest idea how you managed to enter the D-District Prison and rescue Squall and Quistis, but I will be forever in your debt for having done so. I think anyone that could accomplish what you did deserves to call herself a SeeD and you can, as of this moment."

Rinoa felt so overwhelmed by his pronouncement, on top of everything else she had experienced in the last twenty-four hours, she broke into tears.

Selphie left her seat and knelt down by Rinoa, giving her a big hug while whispering in her ear, "I'm so proud of you. I didn't think you could do any of it, but you have proven me wrong."

Mishima smiled at them from across the table and thought, "That Selphie sure is a sweetheart."

Cid asked totally perplexed by Rinoa's response, "Did I say something wrong?"

"No," Quistis responded, "I think you said something extremely right."

As Selphie returned to her seat, Squall sat completely mystified, since he had no knowledge of Rinoa ever desiring to be a SeeD.

Cid continued, "There's one more thing I want to touch on, before you all leave." Cid proceeded to inform the returning SeeDs concerning the entire episode of the Galbadian Missile Base, which ended with his describing Seifer's heroic actions.

Seifer sat stoically through most of the rendition, but when Cid neared the end, he lowered his head and stared at the table, not wishing to observe anyone's expression.

Cid declared, "Okay, that's it." As everyone began to arise from their chairs, Cid added as an afterthought, "Oh, make sure you visit Xu in the infirmary. I'm sure she'd appreciate it. And another thing, Selphie - I expect to have your written report in the morning and Squall - be on time for morning staff meeting for a change."

As people began to mill around Cid's office talking, Squall crossed to Seifer and held out his right hand. As Seifer took it in his, Squall said tersely, "Good job." Fujin nodded and smiled to herself.

"Oh, Rinoa," Cid called out. Rinoa paused in her conversation with Selphie and turned her attention to Cid. Cid explained, "I want you to assist Seifer and Fujin with the Garden Internal Security Program."

"Good grief!" Rinoa thought, "Me with Seifer and Fujin? What next?"

* * *

A few moments after Cid had dismissed everyone from morning staff meeting, the elevator doors opened and Cid was astounded to observe General Caraway stride off the elevator and step into his office.

Cid sprang up from behind his desk and quickly moved to the General.

"Great Hyne!" Cid exclaimed.

The General replied, "It's a bit of a shock, isn't it? I'm still rather shocked myself, but here I am at your disposal."

Glancing at Fujin, Cid ordered, "Screen all my appointments. I'm going to be in conference with the General."

Fujin replied "UNDERSTOOD."

Cid directed, "Come right this way, General, if you please" and led the General into his apartment.

Thirty minutes later, Cid and General Caraway reentered Cid's office. Cid had his right hand resting on the General's shoulder and was saying "Naturally I'm ecstatic to have you aboard, General. Feel free to make yourself at home in my quarters."

Crossing to Fujin, Cid explained, "The General will be staying in my apartment until suitable arrangements can be made." Fujin nodded her understanding.

Turning back to the General, Cid requested, "If you will excuse me, General Caraway, I need to return to my constant backlog of paper work."

The General nodded. "I certainly understand, having been there myself. I believe I'll take a tour of your Garden in order to familiarize myself with your base of operations."

"That's a fine idea," replied Cid, who was moving behind his desk to sit down.

The General strode to the elevator and rode down to the lower floors.

"Strange" Fujin murmured to herself.

* * *

"Selphie?" Quistis said in the laundry area, as Selphie was cramming her dirty laundry into a huge industrial sized washing machine.

"What?!" Selphie almost screamed whirling around confronting the now physically flinching Quistis.

"Don't sneak up on me like that" cautioned Selphie.

"Nerves a little on edge?" Quistis asked with a slight smirk on her face.

"No, it's that damn Zone!"

"Zone?" Quistis questioned, "What does Zone have to do with it?"

Suddenly Selphie appeared more than a little paranoid and asked, "You haven't seen Zone on your way down here, have you?"

"Why? Are you looking for him?"

"No!" Selphie shouted. Noticing Quistis flinched again, Selphie repeated in a lower tone, "No. He's been following me everywhere and he's making me crazy."

"I can see that," Quistis replied dryly.

Selphie returned to her laundry and, while continuing to load the machine with her dirty clothes, asked, "What do you want, anyway?"

"I've come to ask a favor."

Placing the laundry soap into the washing machine, Selphie started the machine and turned to face Quistis. "What is it?"

"I think you could use a good soak in the baths, while your laundry is washing" Quistis suggested.

Selphie's face broke into a huge smile. "You're right. Let's go."

The laundry area was adjacent to the baths and, as the two women walked briskly down the corridor, Quistis explained she wanted Selphie to travel with her to Winhill and the reason for it.

A few minutes later, the two young women were seated in the women's bath, relaxing in the warm sauna.

"Aw, that's really sad" Selphie responded. "Of course I'll go with you. When do you want to go?" asked Selphie.

As Quistis began to answer, Selphie suddenly caught a glimpse of Zone entering the bath area and she became so enraged, she quickly arose standing totally nude and began screaming at him. Only when finally noticing Zone was standing there displaying a sizeable bulge beneath his trousers, did her present predicament begin to dawn on her. Fortunately, at that point, a laughing Quistis had the presence of mind to pull Selphie back down into the bath. Zone rapidly scurried away.

"I'm gonna kill him" Selphie vowed.

* * *

Rinoa knocked loudly on the door of Squall's room. She was positive he was in there sleeping, because she hadn't seen him since their return to the Garden and he had mentioned to her on the Ragnarok he hadn't slept since two days before. She knocked loudly, since he was a very sound sleeper.

"Go away" came the sound of Squall's aggravated voice from inside the room.

"It's me, Squall."

"Oh, Rinoa. Come on in, the door's unlocked."

Rinoa let herself into the room and, sure enough, Squall was sprawled on the bed.

Squall rolled over and smiled at her.

Rinoa declared, "I see you're not ready for our first night back together."

Squall asked perplexed "What are you talking about?"

"You've still got all your clothes on."

Squall blushed and responded, "I always sleep in my clothes."

"Yeah, I know and when was the last time you washed that outfit?"

To change the subject, Squall asked, while pointing at a small valise Rinoa was carrying in her right hand, "What's that for?"

"It has another outfit in it. I'm prepared this time. I'm never going through that again."

Squall grinned and Rinoa, suddenly dropping the valise on the floor and quickly disrobing, dashed stark nakedly across the tiny room in two steps and flung herself onto Squall. She began to passionately kiss him, while unfastening his clothes.

"Hey! Slow down!" Squall exclaimed, "You're going to wear me out again."

Rinoa giggled, as she deftly removed his jockey shorts.

* * *

It was still extremely early the following morning, when the doctor stepped quietly into the darkened clinic room and gazed down upon the small figure of Kasumi, who had finally managed to find some relief from her intense worry over Shinji with the narcotic of sleep. Doctor Kadowaki felt much sympathy for the anguish she realized the young female SeeD had been experiencing over the possible negative conclusion to Shinji's serious medical condition and much respect for the manner, in which Kasumi had stood up to her on the previous day and her refusal to leave the clinic, until she knew for certain if Shinji were to live or die.

"And it certainly had been questionable" the doctor thought ruefully. It had taken all of her medical knowledge and experience to save the young SeeD, but she believed he had turned the corner and was going to live, although his recuperation would be slow.

Doctor Kadowaki touched Kasumi lightly awakening her and gently spoke, "I hate to wake you when you've finally fallen asleep, but I promised you I would whenever I finally knew something."

Kasumi sat bolt upright on the cot almost immediately, apprehension and anguish clearly visible across her pretty features. "What is it?" she demanded.

"Calm down" the doctor replied lovingly, "He's going to be fine."

"Oh, thank Hyne," Kasumi whispered as her tears began to flow down her face.

Doctor Kadowaki took a tissue from her medical coat pocket and dabbed at Kasumi's face wiping the tears away. "There's no reason to cry."

"When can I see him?"

"He's awake presently. You can go in now."

Kasumi leaped off the cot and raced from the small room and into the room, where Shinji lay flat on his back. He was receiving glucose and a blood transfusion through I.V.'s and was being monitored by several impressive appearing machines.

"Oh, Shinji," Kasumi sobbed, "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault."

Shinji, a slight, dark-haired youth with regular features, spoke softly, "What ever are you talking about, Kasumi? The doctor informed me of the hardships you endured to find me. I owe you my life."

Kasumi leaned over and kissed him, murmuring, "I love you so much. I don't think I could have lived without you."

The doctor declared, entering the room, "You're just going to have to live now, Kasumi. He's going to make it just fine, but will have to take it slow for a while."

Kasumi stood up, embarrassed at being overheard by Doctor Kadowaki. Kasumi explained, "I'll be back to visit later today." "When we can get some privacy," Kasumi thought to herself, as she was leaving the room.

Doctor Kadowaki advised, "That's a very special young woman you have there. You'd better hang on to her."

Shinji smiled gently and replied, "I know" before drifting back to sleep.

* * *

Irvine, Selphie, Zell and the pigtail girl were sitting around an early morning coffee shop table on their first full day back at Garden.

Selphie questioned, "I wonder where Rinoa is this morning?"

Irvine glanced at her in disbelief. "Come on, Selphie! Last night was Squall and Rinoa's first night together for a while. Where do you think she is?"

Selphie, flushing slightly, retorted, "Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"Get your mind out of the clouds!" Irvine counterattacked.

"Knock it off, you guys! Can't we just have one nice quiet morning?" asked Zell.

Before Selphie or Irvine could respond, Mishima who was crossing the coffee shop espied Zell and called out, "Hey, Zell! You sweetheart!"

She rapidly approached their table and leaned down and embraced the ever-reddening Zell in a hug, with her substantial breasts pressing against the side of his head and enveloping his face. Standing up, she gazed at the now slightly glowering pigtail girl and said, "You must be Zell's girlfriend. I'm Mishima."

Turning her attention to the rest of the table, Mishima declared, "I spoke with Kasumi a couple of hours ago and Shinji's gonna be alright!" Mishima exclaimed, "Gotta run!" She began walking away, but paused suddenly and said to the pigtail girl, "You're certainly a lucky young woman to have Zell for a boyfriend."

As Mishima was leaving the coffee shop, Zell explained, "Uh, that was Mishima, Na-."

"I _ know _ who it was, Zell!" the pigtail girl angrily interrupted. "What I want to know is _ what _ she is to you."

As Selphie and Irvine looked on greatly entertained, Zell asked confused, "Uh, what do you mean?"

"I mean," the pigtail girl explained, biting off each word, "that I spoke with Kasumi after Mishima talked to her and she told me all about it."

"All about what?" Zell asked, blushing furiously and fearing the worse.

"About how you and Mishima were alone together the entire time, after she left Dollet with Shinji!"

As Zell began to protest, the pigtail girl demanded, "Let me finish! She also told me you told her you loved Mishima. And, as if that wasn't bad enough, you watched Mishima strip herself stark naked in front of you!" With that said, the pigtail girl burst into sobs and, arising quickly from the table, fled the coffee shop.

"Oh Shiva!" exclaimed Zell, "I can't believe it."

Irvine gazed at Zell with a smirk and asked, "Can't we have just one quiet morning?" 


	19. Once Again Chapter 19

Once Again

Chapter Nineteen

_Reconciliation_

Near the end of morning staff meeting, Doctor Kadowaki suddenly remembered what she wanted to ask Cid. She questioned, "Was Edea able to visit Akane?"

"Yes," Cid said sadly, "But nothing came of it. Edea wasn't able to reach her at all, although because Fujin was present Akane, at least, didn't attempt to physically attack her, as she did you."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out" the doctor replied. "But it was still a fine thought on your part."

"Is there anything else?" Cid asked glancing around the table. When there was no response, he stood up and stated, "That's it. Meeting is adjourned."

* * *

Squall, who had been lying on his bed, rolled over and placed his feet on the floor. He had reached a decision, regarding an issue he had been ruminating over for the past few hours. He arose and exited his bedroom. He was going to track down Rinoa and finally put an end to it. He decided to search the library first, as he realized her penchant for spending time in the library, when she wasn't with him.

Entering the library, Squall espied Rinoa immediately standing at her favorite shelf in the first room reading from a book she was holding open in her hands.

Striding up to her, he questioned "Anything interesting?"

Rinoa glanced up from her book and smiled at Squall. "Yes, it's early Centra history before the first lunar cry."

Squall asked, "Do you have time to go for a walk?"

Rinoa appeared perplexed, since Squall never participated in any activity as mundane as going for a walk, but answered "Sure."

Taking her by the hand, Squall led her from the library. Walking up the corridor to the main rotunda, Squall explained, "I've something serious to talk to you about."

Rinoa immediately stopped dead in her tracks and exclaimed, "Oh, no! They're sending you right back on another mission."

Squall grinned and began shaking his head. "No, nothing like that." He began to lead her down the corridor once again. As they turned the corner in the rotunda in the direction toward the front gate, he broached, "I want to talk to you about your continued willful estrangement from your father."

Rinoa immediately halted and exclaimed loudly, "I don't wish to talk about that!"

Noticing several upper-classmen walking by them shot her strange looks, she lowered her voice. "That's none of your business."

"It is my business. Anything that affects you as much as this does _ is _ my business. It's not natural for a child to have absolutely no relationship with a living parent."

As Rinoa began to protest, Squall said somewhat caustically, "At least you know who your father is."

Rinoa retorted "Come on, Squall. Everybody knows your father is Laguna."

Squall replied, "I don't know what everyone else knows or doesn't know. I only know the man has never said anything to me about it."

Squall continued in a softer tone, "I think you're frightened to talk to him."

As Rinoa began to interrupt, Squall explained, "I think you're frightened to find out you've been completely wrong headed about this all this time."

When Rinoa made no reply, but instead just glared at him, Squall made his final appeal. "Rinoa, you must realize your father is not a young man and I know, for a fact, he loves you deeply. That's why he jeopardized his entire career and possibly his life to rescue me and Quistis...because we are connected to you. How are you going to feel if something terrible happens to him? It'll be too late then."

One tear ran down from the corner of Rinoa's right eye. "Okay, damn you!" she replied passionately. "But you have to promise to do something for me" she explained with a sly grin.

"What is it?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out" Rinoa retorted.

* * *

Xu awoke to discover Squall standing beside her bed.

"How are you?" he gently asked.

"I've been better," Xu admitted.

"Is it the pain?" he wondered.

"No, the doctor provides adequate medication for the pain. It's just lying here with nothing to do, but sleep."

"We could always play _ Triple Triad" _ Squall joked.

"Are you officially challenging me?"

"No." Squall answered, "I'd have an unfair advantage. I could reach the entire board."

"Can I have Rinoa get you a book from the library?" Squall asked.

"Yes, that would be nice. Tell her anything on the solar panel in F.H. I'm doing some research on it to discover if we can apply it to the Garden as a new source of power."

"Okay, I will" replied Squall as he leaned down and gently pressed his lips against Xu's.

"I'll be back tomorrow," Squall promised as he was leaving the room.

"Great Hyne!" Xu thought, blushing deeply from the slight tingle of his kiss, "He really has changed!"

* * *

Rinoa was traveling to the third floor in the elevator. She realized General Caraway was temporarily _ bunking _ in Cid's apartment until suitable arrangements could be made for him. "I wonder what Edea thinks about _ that," _ Rinoa maliciously thought.

Stepping off the elevator as the doors opened, Rinoa crossed to Cid's desk.

Rinoa asked, "Cid, is that man - I mean, the General in the apartment?"

Cid glanced up from his constant paperwork and, not finding the tone of Rinoa's voice to his liking, replied pointedly, "Yes, your _ father _ is in the apartment. I believe he would appreciate a visit from you" Cid added dryly.

Rinoa realized she had angered Cid, but she was angry herself and didn't care. She flounced away from Cid's desk toward the apartment thinking "Like it's any of his business!" Cid sighed and shook his head slightly.

Rinoa knocked on the door and, not waiting for a response, asked, "May I come in?"

"Certainly" replied the General from inside the apartment, although he could scarcely credit his own ears. He would have known the sound of Rinoa's voice anywhere.

Rinoa entered the apartment, but left the door open. The General quickly moved toward her, but perceiving her physically flinch and begin to retreat by backing up, he drew himself to an immediate halt. He mentally berated himself for overreacting in his joy at the sight of his one and only daughter.

He turned and retreated to allow her some distance and finally sat in a large, easy chair. He asked, "Would you like to sit down?"

"No, I'm fine," Rinoa answered stiffly.

"You're looking real good, Rinoa. The Garden must agree with you."

"Thank you" Rinoa replied tersely.

The General continued to press searching for any sign of humanity remaining in his only child's feelings toward him. "How have you been?"

"Good."

"Rinoa," General Caraway began, "when your mother died, when you were just a small child, I was devastated. I vowed I would never go through such pain again, but I was wrong. That pain was nothing compared to the pain I am feeling right this moment realizing I've lost you, perhaps irrevocably."

Rinoa turned and closed the door to the apartment to prevent anyone from overhearing.

The General continued, "I thought it was the pain from the death of your mother that caused me to look the other way every time I was confronted with the truth of what the Galbadian Government and indirectly the Galbadian Army stood for, because I told myself that I would do anything to protect you from the world outside and I felt my wealth and power would keep you safe, so I would never have to deal with the pain of losing you also. Obviously I was wrong and when you grew up and formed your own opinions, I attempted to force you to accept mine so I would never have to look at my own complicity with the _ powers that be. _ For that, I most humbly apologize." General Caraway slightly bowed.

"It was only of late when I was, at last, confronted with either keeping my position of wealth and power at the risk of losing my very soul or throwing it all away by rescuing Squall and Quistis that I realized I had been lying to myself all these years. It had absolutely nothing to do with you...it had to do with me not wanting to give up all that I had until I finally had to face I'd already lost all that was most precious to me - you." General Caraway dropped his head to hide his show of emotion as tears had sprung to his eyes.

Suddenly Rinoa's heart that had been hardened towards her father for years to the point of brittleness completely shattered under the weight of this graying career army officer abjectly sharing his honest emotions and she dashed across the apartment with tears streaming down her face and embraced the General in a hug crying "Oh, father - oh, daddy, I'm so sorry."

Later in the afternoon as Rinoa and General Caraway sat conversing, he suddenly asked, "Did you know your mother's song, _ Eyes on You, _ was written about her love for Laguna?"

Rinoa sat stunned, unable to respond except to shake her head.

The General explained, "I didn't discover it myself until several months following her death, when I was finally strong enough to go through some of her papers and discovered several letters she had written to him that had been returned, because he couldn't be located. I also discovered one letter he had written to your mother. At that time, I didn't even know who he was. It was much later, when I discovered he was the President of Esthar."

General Caraway continued, "I always realized your mother didn't really love me, but was on the rebound from some tragic love affair but I didn't care. I loved her _ that _ much."

As the General continued the conversation, Rinoa's mind was reeling. "That would mean," she thought, "that it was _ kismet _ Squall and I met and fell in love. We're connected in ways we never dreamt of."

"Oh Great Hyne!" Rinoa suddenly realized, "We could have easily ended up being brother and sister. Now there's a scary thought, although sometimes I think we act more like siblings than lovers the way we fight."

Rinoa returned her attention to the General's conversation and the afternoon wore on.

* * *

Locating Rinoa in the library, the next morning, standing at her favorite shelf reading from an open book, Selphie strode quickly to her and asked, "What'cha reading?"

Rinoa glanced up. "Oh, hi Selphie. It's a book about the solar panel Mayor Dobe developed in F.H. Strange, isn't it? That a politician could develop such a far reaching scientific invention?"

"Uh, huh," Selphie commented distractedly, "Have you seen Irvine? I've been looking for him everywhere and I can't locate him."

"Have you tried his room?"

"No," Selphie responded. "He's never in his room at this time of day, plus he didn't say anything at breakfast about returning to his room."

"Well, let's go see" Rinoa suggested.

Selphie quickly agreed and, as the two young women SeeDs walked around the rotunda to the corridor to the men's dormitory, Selphie discussed her plans for the Garden Festival.

"That's why I need to find Irvine. I want him for rehearsal," explained Selphie.

"What are we going to do in the Festival?" questioned Rinoa.

"We're going to play a medley of hits by the _ Deling City Marauders" _ was Selphie's surprising answer.

Since the _ Deling City Marauders _ were the most popular rock and roll group around by far, Rinoa responded surprised, "Really? Isn't that rather ambitious for the likes of us?"

"Oh, it'll be great" Selphie reassured her. Arriving at Irvine's door, Selphie knocked upon it.

"What?" answered the strangled sounding voice of Irvine from within the interior of the room.

"That doesn't sound right" Rinoa commented. "Maybe he's not feeling well."

"Let's see," suggested Selphie pulling out a key and inserting it into the lock of the door.

"Where did you get that?" demanded Rinoa.

Selphie grinned at Rinoa. "I've always had a copy of Irvine's key. You should get a copy of Squall's," she advised.

Stepping quickly into the room, Selphie and Rinoa were shocked to observe the very attractive brunette Trepie #2 crawling over Irvine, who was lying on his bed completely nude with an enormous erection. When she stood up on the floor, they perceived she was far more attractive than usual, as she was stark naked. "Well, I can certainly see that dark brunette hair of her's comes out of a bottle" Rinoa thought cattily.

As Selphie began shrieking at Irvine, Trepie #2 quickly gathered her clothing from the floor and fled by Selphie and Rinoa and out of the room. When Selphie approached the bed and began striking Irvine repeatedly, Rinoa decided descretion was the better part of valor and followed Trepie #2 out the door closing it behind her.

* * *

Xu was sitting up in bed eating from a small bowl of rice that was all the doctor would allow her for lunch, when Rinoa walked in holding a book in her right hand.

"Hello, Xu" she said. "How are you feeling?"

"As well as can be expected, I guess."

"You look sharp in your SeeD uniform, Rinoa," complimented Xu, who had heard Rinoa never removed her new uniform except to shower and sleep, since being promoted to a SeeD.

"It's just that it's so comfortable and the skirt is so much longer than the upper-classmen uniforms" Rinoa explained, flushing slightly.

"Here's that book you mentioned to Squall" Rinoa explained while passing it to Xu, who placed it on her bedside table.

"Arigato" Xu said, "I really appreciate it."

Xu stated, "I heard you reconciled with your father."

"Wow!" Rinoa exclaimed. "You don't miss much - even from a clinic bed."

"Actually it's Doctor Kadowaki who doesn't miss much. She's the one who told me," Xu laughed.

"You know I'm going to have a birthday in a few days" Rinoa replied.

Xu appeared nonplussed and replied, "I don't think I'm going to be able to get you a present this year, Rinoa."

"Oh, no! It's nothing like that," Rinoa protested. "It's just that I think Squall will have a party for me and I hope you'll be able to get out of bed by then."

"Well, we'll see" placated Xu.

"I have to run" Rinoa explained, while leaning down and giving Xu a quick kiss on the lips. "I have to attend a meeting with Seifer and Fujin" she grimaced.

"Good luck" Xu called out as Rinoa was leaving the room.

* * *

The three Trepies were standing in the classroom of the former Instructor Trepe.

Trepie #3 asked, "Has anyone seen Instructor Trepe since she has returned to grace us with her presence?"

"Yes" asserted Trepie #1. "I worshipped her from afar this morning in the cafeteria."

Trepie #2 replied, "You are indeed fortunate. I, myself, have not laid my eyes on her as of yet, not even from afar."

Trepie #3 turned to Trepie #2 and asked, "What's this I heard about you and Irvine being caught by Selphie _ in flagrante delicto?" _

"What?!" Trepie #1 asked loudly.

Trepie #2 began to blush furiously and quickly questioned, "Where ever did you hear that?"

"Oh, it's all over the Garden," answered Trepie #3.

Trepie #1 interrupted, "Hey, how can I score some of this action?"

Trepie #2 spun toward him enraged but before she could respond, Trepie #3 replied, "I thought you were saving yourself for Instructor Trepe?"

"Don't be vulgar" Trepie #1 retorted. "Instructor Trepe is a goddess, who would never consent to have carnal knowledge of me."

Trepie #2 reached out suddenly and slapped Trepie #1 across the face and then flounced out of the classroom.

"Well, I never!" exclaimed Trepie #1 and he too left the classroom.

Trepie #3 stood in stunned amazement for a few seconds in the now empty classroom and then left calling out "Hey, you guys! Wait up!"

* * *

Xu was sitting up in bed reading the book on the F.H. solar panel that Rinoa had brought her, when she noticed Quistis stride into the room.

"Quistis!" she called out happily.

Quistis quickly crossed to the bed and leaned down and gave Xu a quick hug. Noting that Xu had winced, Quistis asked, while pulling up the stool from the corner and sitting down, "Is the pain bad?"

Xu shook her head and said, "It comes and goes. How wonderful to see you. You must tell me all of your fantastic adventures in Deling City and the D-District Prison."

For the next fifteen minutes, Quistis held Xu's rapt attention as she offered the complete narrative beginning from her and Squall initially leaving the Garden. When she had finally finished, Xu exclaimed, "It certainly sounds as if Rinoa acted in an extraordinary fashion."

"Yes, she did," agreed Quistis. "I probably owe my life to her, but you know - it's the first time I've ever seen one of her plans actually work out."

As the two women laughed, Quistis continued, "Now it's your turn. I want to hear all about the Galbadian Missile Base."

Xu proceeded to explain to Quistis the entire Missile Base saga beginning with her initially sighting the base from the air, as the Garden was engaged in a test flight. When she had finished, the two young women fell silent for a moment and then Quistis responded, "Kinda ironic, isn't it?"

Xu looked at Quistis and asked, "What - that Seifer saved my life?"

"Uh huh" answered Quistis.

"I would describe it as supremely ironic" laughed Xu, who was joined by Quistis in her laughter.

Quistis stood up. "It's great to see you feeling better, Xu."

Xu reached out with her right hand and gently squeezed Quistis's left arm. "Thanks for coming to visit me. I've missed you dreadfully."

"I've missed you too, Xu" Quistis said as she leaned down and gave Xu a long, lingering passionate kiss on her lips, while slipping her tongue into Xu's startled mouth. "I need to go visit Melissa now. I haven't been able to visit with her, since we've been back."

As Quistis left the clinic room, Xu was crimson with embarrassment and thought, "Is this connected with her horrible experiences in the prison? I'll have to speak with the doctor about this and discover what I can do to help her through her post traumatic stress."

* * *

Because Quistis realized Melissa was finished teaching her classes for the day, she decided to search for her in her room. Nearing the door to Melissa's room, Quistis suddenly realized how excited she felt in her anticipation of seeing her good friend again and sharing with Melissa her experiences of the past two weeks.

When Melissa opened the door, she excitedly shouted "Quisty!" and Quistis embraced her in a hug. Stepping back from Quistis, Melissa replied "Well, you don't look the worse for wear, thank Hyne."

Stepping inside of the room and closing the door, Quistis spoke "Let me tell you all about it."

Quistis and Melissa sat together on Melissa's bed, as Quistis related in detail her adventures since leaving the Garden with Squall. When she began speaking of her adventures in the prison with the physical beatings and the psychological torture of being left naked, Melissa's eyes filled with tears and she murmured, "How perfectly hideous for you to have to go through."

When Quistis finished her recounting, Melissa gently spoke "You're very lucky to not have been raped or worse, Quisty"

"Poor Quisty" murmured Melissa as she suddenly leaned over and began kissing Quistis passionately, while removing her orange top and revealing her abundant breasts.

"It's about damn time!" Quistis responded, "What took you so long?" 


	20. Once Again Chapter Twenty

Once Again

Chapter Twenty

_Once Upon a Time in F.H._

Rinoa's Surprise Birthday Party

After visiting the old lady, who ran the flower shop in Winhill the following day and advising her of Akemi's death, Selphie and Quistis walked out of Winhill toward the Ragnarok.

"Man, that was really sad," expressed Selphie.

Quistis nodded as she wiped a few random leftover tears from her eyes.

"Why don't we treat ourselves to some lunch in Timber? We've already missed lunch at the Garden," said Selphie.

Quistis quickly agreed and they flew the Ragnarok to Timber.

After eating lunch at the _ Hamptons _ in Timber, Selphie suggested they visit the _ Timber Maniacs _ Building in order for her to further her search for any _ lost _ Laguna articles. Quistis, feeling at loose ends since her sad experience in Winhill, quickly agreed because she had no interest in returning to the Garden any time soon that day.

After searching through past issues of many prior years for over an hour, Selphie excitedly exclaimed, "Here's one I've never seen!"

Quistis responded, "Oh, how exciting for you."

Selphie settled down on the floor and began to reach the article. A few minutes later, she completed her reading and placed the magazine face down on the floor.

"Well?" Quistis asked. "What's it about?"

"Here" replied Selphie tersely, handing Quistis the magazine indicating she should read it for herself.

Quistis discovered Laguna had written of his early days in Esthar before the capturing of Sorceress Adel. The main subject of the article was the resistance organization he had initially headed of which many of the Esthar scientific community had been a part. One of the scientists mentioned was Robert Dobe, who was referred to as a 'leading energy research scientist.'

It wasn't until Quistis neared the end of the article in her reading that she discovered what affected Selphie so. Laguna wrote of Robert Dobe and his wife having an infant named Selphie during the reign of Sorceress Adel and being so frightened of possible repercussions to the entire family, if he were discovered as a member of the underground resistance by Sorceress Adel, they made the momentous decision to give their daughter up for adoption and had her smuggled out of Esthar.

Quistis closed the magazine and asked, "Selphie, you don't suppose this is you, do you?"

"I don't know," answered Selphie weakly.

"Do you think this is Mayor Dobe?" Quistis persisted.

"I don't know what I think," Selphie snapped.

"Well, it does make sense" Quistis said speaking more to herself than to Selphie. "He's described as a leading energy research scientist and there are those solar panels in F.H."

Quistis suddenly suggested, "I know who can help with this."

"Who?" Selphie asked suddenly more interested.

"Xu was reading a book on the solar panel the other day when I visited her. Let's go ask her," Quistis suggested.

Selphie quickly agreed and as the two young, beautiful SeeDs hurried through Timber on their way to the Ragnarok, Selphie's mind was reeling.

* * *

When they entered the Garden, Quistis suddenly remembered Cid had requested of her that she speak to the three Trepies concerning their recent disturbing, if not totally bizarre, behavior of the past week. Begging off from visiting Xu at that time, Quistis hurried off.

Feeling emotionally abandoned, Selphie decided to enlist the services of Irvine in her endeavor and a few minutes later, Selphie and Irvine entered Xu's room in the clinic.

"Xu" Selphie began to say.

"Hey, Xu," Irvine interrupted, "Is it true when you were rescued by Seifer, he had torn off your blouse and your bra was destroyed?"

Xu blushed deeply and falteringly replied, "I really can't say."

Selphie shouted "Irvine!" and turned and pushed him roughly.

Turning back to Xu, Selphie explained, "You'll have to excuse Irvine. His mind, or at least what's left of it, is always in the gutter."

Selphie asked, "Xu, would you mind reading this" while handing her the _ Timber Maniacs. _

A few minutes later Xu had finished her reading and setting the magazine on the bedside table, she looked up at Selphie and replied, "Yes, the man in this article and Mayor Dobe are one and the same."

Selphie asked tentatively, "Uh, do you think...he could be my father?"

Xu answered, "Yes, I think it's more than likely he is your _ paterfamilias." _

"Oh Great Shiva!" Selphie exclaimed, while turning deathly pale and beginning to wobble on her feet.

"Irvine, fetch Selphie that stool!" Xu commanded. Xu had to admit she had never seen Irvine move with more alacrity. Selphie sat stunned on the stool for a few moments and then said, "I guess I should go visit him, huh?"

"That's what I would do," agreed Xu.

Turning to Irvine, Selphie asked, "Will go with me?"

"Don't you know I will, Sefie?" replied Irvine quietly, no longer the laughing buffoon.

* * *

As Doctor Kadowaki stepped into Xu's clinic room to check on her recuperation, she realized Xu appeared extremely unhappy.

"What's wrong, Xu?" the doctor asked.

"How was I dressed, when I was carried into the Garden, after the Missile Base exploded?" questioned Xu.

"Uh, oh" Doctor Kadowaki said. "Who told you?"

"Irvine" Xu replied. "Why couldn't have, at least, a sheet been placed over me?!" she demanded.

The doctor explained, "Xu, it was touch and go whether you were going to live another five minutes. I began working on you as soon as you were carried into the main part of the Garden. We couldn't spare any time to waste on social proprieties! Besides you certainly didn't appear erotic drenched in your own blood."

When Xu chose to remain silent, the doctor continued, "Xu, allow me to offer you some advice. Find someone to love and settle down and pump out some babies. Remember, your biological clock is ticking!"

When Xu continued to say nothing, Doctor Kadowaki stated, "I'll return later to change your dressing" and she turned and left the small room.

After the doctor had left, Xu thought to herself, "Easy for her to say! Where am I going to meet someone around here?"

* * *

After she and Irvine left Xu, Selphie decided, before traveling the distance to F.H. from Trabia in the Ragnarok, to discuss this issue with Edea. Discovering Irvine agreeable to this, she warned him to behave himself in front of Matron.

Selphie and Irvine met Edea, as she was just leaving her and Cid's small apartment on the third floor. Edea explained to them she was on her way to the baths and asked was Selphie willing to talk there. Selphie quickly agreed and informed Irvine he should wait for her in the coffee shop, as he was not allowed in the women's bath.

After Selphie and Edea walked down to the sub-floor and down the long corridor leading to the baths, they entered the women's dressing area and quickly stripped off their clothing. Wrapped in large towels, they made their way to the baths.

Throwing off their towels by the side of the tub, they eased themselves down into the warm water. Blushing slightly, Selphie couldn't help, but notice Edea's substantial breasts.

As if reading Selphie's mind, Edea promised, "Yours will be this big someday, Selphie."

Now blushing furiously and totally embarrassed from being caught out, Selphie asked "Do you possibly remember who brought me to the orphanage?"

"Why, yes I do" Edea answered. "It was a resistance fighter from Esthar. But why do you ask at this late date?"

"Because," Selphie explained, "I was reading an old article by Laguna and I may have discovered who my father is."

"Who is it, if I might ask?"

"Mayor Dobe of F.H." Selphie explained.

"Yes, I believe a Robert Dobe was the man who brought you," confirmed Edea.

"I'm going to visit him right now!" Selpie decided quickly climbing from the bath and dashing toward the dressing room.

"Selphie?" Edea called out.

Selphie paused and turned towards Edea as she continued, "You're forgetting your towel." As she raced back to retrieve her towel, Edea cautioned, "And don't forget to get dressed, you don't want to cause Irvine to act any worse than he already does."

Blushing, Selphie left the bath area to the sound of Edea's chuckling.

* * *

Exiting the Ragnarok after landing at F.H., Selphie and Irvine were immediately confronted by the sight of the Mayor's abode. Now that she was this close to possibly meeting her parents, Selphie began to experience free-floating anxiety and began to move hesitantly with some trepidation.

Irvine, noticing this, encouraged, "Come on, Sefie. It'll be fine."

Selphie smiled at him. "Arigato" she replied.

The Mayor's house was an odd shaped metal structure having the appearance of being created haphazardly.

There was no need to knock on the door of the Mayor's quarters, because he and his wife lived on the second floor and were seldom on the first floor, which held such diverse items as a large ship steering wheel on one wall with a large window directly in front of it, as if the building had been a ship in the past. There was a table with charts and an overhead light. There was a large, green blackboard with a chalk written message in a foreign tongue hanging off a partially sawed limb of an old tree that appeared to be growing through the floor! There was a huge coil of unknown origins hanging down from the ceiling. There was some sort of a device producing electrical power in the corner.

As she and Irvine walked up the curving metal staircase that led to the second floor, Selphie realized the first floor was one of the oddest places she had ever observed. "What kind of people are these?" she thought to herself.

Reaching the second floor and stepping out into the center of the room, Selphie observed there was various oddities here also, such as, model airplanes hanging from the high ceiling and an old truck tire lying on the floor. There was no furniture present in the room, although a number of odd-looking machines lined the walls.

As usual, Mayor Dobe and his wife, Flo, were seated on the floor.

Mayor Dobe spoke harshly "You're some of those people from that Garden. What do you want here?"

"Uh, oh, not a good start," Irvine thought.

Selphie asked, "May we sit down?"

"Do whatever you wish, as long as you don't kill anybody," the Mayor retorted.

After seating themselves on the floor, Selphie asked, "You are the Robert Dobe, who was a famous research scientist?"

The Mayor became suddenly guarded. "What if I am?" he asked.

"And you and your wife had a baby named Selphie?" she asked.

The Mayor suddenly appeared very leery of the question. "Yes" he admitted.

Selphie questioned, "Where did you send your baby, when you had her smuggled out of Esthar?"

"Why are you asking me these questions?!" the Mayor loudly expostulated. "Is this some kind of a Garden plot?" he demanded.

When tears began rolling down Selphie's face, the Mayor's wife reached over and touched his arm saying, "You're frightening her, dear" and turning to Selphie she asked, "What is it you need to ask us?"

Selphie answered, "Did you send your daughter to the orphanage run by Edea Kramer in Centra."

"Yes, we did" Flo, the Mayor's wife, answered with surprise in her voice. "How did you know that?" she asked.

Selphie blurted out "Because I was raised there and I'm seventeen years old and my name is Selphie Tilmitt."

Flo, leaping to her feet excitedly, exclaimed "Oh Great Hyne, Robert! It's our little baby!"

The Mayor replied disgrunted "We do not have a Garden baby."

"Of course we do!" exclaimed Flo. Stepping quickly toward Selphie, Flo declared, "Robert, you pretentious fop! This is our long lost daughter. We chose the name Tilmitt for her!"

Flo reached down and scooped Selphie up in a mammoth hug. Flo suggested, "Selphie, let's go for a walk." And the two women left the second floor and went out into F.H. leaving Irvine uncomfortably sitting across from Mayor Dobe.

"Now what in the hell am _ I _ supposed to do?" thought Irvine.

* * *

As Selphie was piloting the Ragnarok in their return to Trabia, Irvine asked, "How do you feel?"

"Totally overwhelmed, but wonderful" answered Selphie.

"How did it go with your mother?" Irvine wondered.

"Really good, and she said my father has always been an asshole, but that he'll come around eventually."

"Selphie!" Irvine exclaimed acting as though he was scandalized, but he was actually secretly amused.

"But that's what she said," Selphie declared. "She said he's always been an asshole, but she loves him anyway" Selphie insisted.

Selphie asked, "Irvine, could you be cool with not telling anyone about this, until I have a chance to talk with Xu and Matron?"

"Why certainly, Sefie" Irvine cooed, "Anything for my little darling."

"Yeah, whatever" was Selphie's sarcastic response. Selphie had still not forgiven Irvine for his tryst with Trepie #2.

Irvine suggested, "Selphie, could you step on it? I don't want to miss dinner."

* * *

The following morning Zell, Selphie, Irvine and the pigtail girl were sitting around an early morning coffee shop table, when Rinoa walked in.

"Whoa!" Irvine exclaimed, surprised. "What's Rinoa doing here so early?"

Selphie said, "It's her birthday, stupid." Selphie had continued to be highly upset over Irvine's _ liaison _ with Trepie #2, even though he insisted it hadn't been consummated.

Selphie continued, "She's come to remind us of her birthday. I guarantee you the second thing out of her mouth will be some reference to it."

Zell chimed in, "There's a surprise party this evening."

Selphie shot him a withering glance, as she quickly said "Shh! Here she comes now."

Rinoa approached the table and loudly greeted "Good Morning, everybody" and displayed her award winning smile. As Rinoa sat down, Selphie noticed Rinoa was still wearing her relatively new SeeD uniform everywhere. Selphie thought cattily, "I bet the only time she takes it off is when she's with Squall."

Rinoa said "Guess what? Today's my birthday."

"Oh, that's nice," responded Irvine. "How old are you?"

Selphie gave Irvine such a deadly kick beneath the table that he quickly stood up and replied, "Well, I've got to go" and limped off from the table.

Zell, taking his girlfriend by the arm, stood up with her and said, "We need to get going too."

Selphie looked at Rinoa, who was sitting with her mouth open poised to answer Irvine's question and explained, "I've got to run too. Ja Ne" said Selphie, as she arose and exited the coffee shop.

Rinoa thought to herself, "Well, how do you like that? What was that all about?"

* * *

As Squall and Rinoa were eating lunch in the cafeteria, Rinoa spoke disheartened "I can't believe it. Not one of my friends wished me a happy birthday this morning."

Squall leaned over and kissed her cheek and grinned, "Happy Birthday."

"Oh, I don't mean you" she retorted.

"Never mind about them," suggested Squall. "Cid said we could use his apartment all night, since your father has been relocated in Xu's room until she is released from the clinic and he and Edea are spending the night at Trabia Garden for some reason."

"Oh, Squall," gushed Rinoa. "That'll be wonderful. That's a great birthday present for us to be able to spend a night together out of that tiny room of yours."

Squall began thinking of the immense logistics involved with procuring enough cake and ice cream for all the people he had invited for Rinoa's surprise birthday party. There was even people coming from Trabia Garden. And he had to remember the punch for the upper-classmen and the liquor for the adults!

Rinoa promised, "I'll wear something incredibly sexy this evening."

"Oh, good" Squall replied distractedly, while wondering where he could locate all the tables he was going to need.

* * *

Rinoa was in Cid's apartment a few minutes before seven o'clock in the evening. Squall had informed her he would meet her at seven and she wanted to be prepared for him. She quickly stripped off her SeeD uniform and then her bra and panties. She had promised him she would wear something incredibly sexy and she didn't know anything sexier, than her body _ au naturel. _

Rinoa hurried to the bathroom in order to brush and groom her hair and apply fresh makeup. She was just finishing when she heard Squall knock on the apartment door and ask, "Rinoa, come out here for a minute, will you?"

The totally nude leggy brunette hurried toward the door thinking, "Boy, is he going to be surprised!"

Throwing open the door and stepping into Cid's office, Rinoa suddenly became horror struck, as she observed about a hundred people staring at her beautiful stark naked body and shouting "Surprise!"

"Oh, Squall! How could you?!" Rinoa cried out in anguish.

Rinoa literally went into a state of shock and was having a great deal of difficulty in thinking clearly. The blood began to pound in her temples and her ears were ringing as adrenaline began to race through her body. She just wasn't able to comprehend how a quiet evening with Squall had turned into her standing completely naked in front of a room of fully dressed people; some of them almost complete strangers.

Rinoa felt as though she was caught in a hideous nightmare and she just couldn't seem to make herself wake up. "This is Squall's fault!" Rinoa thought desperately. "He should have known what I meant, when I said I was going to wear something incredibly sexy for him."

Rinoa stood, in total shock, unable to move with her legs spread apart, brazenly displaying her nudity and gawked with horror at the invited guests, who were beginning to display different emotions on their faces ranging from surprise to shock to outright appreciation.

As Rinoa gazed across the room from left to right, she observed Cid and Edea, of course. She distinguished Selphie, who appeared judgmental, standing with Irvine, who stared at her salaciously, and Zell, blushing furiously, was with the pigtail girl, who was hiding her head in her hands. She observed Quistis, holding her right hand up to her face laughing behind it, standing by a tall, attractive blonde, male SeeD, who Rinoa knew slightly and was obviously Quistis's date for the evening. She perceived Quistis's friend, Melissa Jenkins, who appeared very sad for some unknown reason and a group of Trabia Garden SeeDs and upper-classmen. She glimpsed Zone staring at her with _ raw lust _ evident on his features. She gazed upon Seifer, Raijin and Fujin watching her bemusedly. She distinguished Doctor Kadowaki, who was standing next to Xu, who was on crutches. She observed Mishima, who appeared amused and Shinji, who gazed at her in appreciation and Kasumi, who seemed horrified. She perceived the Trepies, who were laughing. She observed a number of SeeDs and upper-classmen from the Garden, including two young women she had never seen before. She saw the library and the kitchen staff. She suddenly glimpsed her father. The look of total concern on his face finally snapped Rinoa out of her fugue state and she fled the room slamming the apartment door behind her.

The two young women, who Rinoa had not recognized, were two new upper-classmen named Corey and Sara. Corey, a tastefully dressed, long legged beauty with auburn hair, commented "You know, I think I could really like Rinoa, if she didn't act as if she were _ shooting salad _ all the time." Sara, an attractive petite blonde, who was wearing an extremely short, green see-through dress, consisting mostly of holes, replied, "Oh, I couldn't. She _ just _ has no fashion sense, plus I think she's an exhibitionist."

Squall wrapped up the fiasco by saying "That's our show for tonight, folks. Thanks for coming and be careful going home." And he also fled the room into the sanctuary of Cid's apartment. 


	21. Once Again Chapter Twenty One

Once Again

Chapter Twenty-One

_The Pigtail Girl Fights Back_

A Visit To Trabia Garden

An Appointment With Akane

The Garden Festival

Irvine, Zell and the pigtail girl were sitting around an early morning coffee shop table beginning to discuss Rinoa's latest debacle, when they were surprised to glimpse Quistis walking into the coffee shop. Realizing she was well known for _ sleeping in _ and usually not appearing until long after breakfast had been served, they were naturally curious and waved her over to the table.

As she was seating herself, Irvine asked, "So what brings you out so early?"

Quistis, who did appear rather fatigued and somewhat sloppy in her appearance, answered, "I was up all night in bed and thought I'd get some breakfast before crashing."

Zell responded "Huh?" while the blushing pigtail girl, who understood perfectly, nudged him in his ribs to remain silent.

Irvine, who naturally realized at once what she was saying, asked "Who with? That guy you were with last night?"

Quistis, smiling mysteriously, explained, "I don't kiss and tell."

Irvine exclaimed, "I think Rinoa really outdid herself last night. That was her best ever!"

"Yeah" Zell agreed, "She was awesome!"

The pigtail girl angrily expostulated "You two are horrible! It's not funny, and, besides it wasn't her fault. She didn't have any idea it was a surprise party. She thought it was just another evening with Squall."

As Zell turned to her in surprise, she continued saying to him, "And you - you're the worst! I saw the shameless way you were staring at her. You probably wish she were your girlfriend instead of me. Well, I've had it mister!"

Standing up from the table, she stated, "I'll expect an answer from you by library closing time today or our relationship is off!" And she quickly left the coffee shop, leaving Zell with his mouth hanging open.

"As I live and breathe," Irvine said. "The rabbit has developed _ fangs," _ he laughed.

Quistis, who was holding her right hand up by her mouth to hide her laughter, suddenly noticed Selphie was missing and asked Irvine, "Where's Selphie this morning?"

Irvine answered in a surly tone, "I don't have any idea."

"Oh" Quistis responded, "I thought you always knew where Selphie was."

"I'm her boyfriend, not her keeper" Irvine snapped.

"Oh, ho!" Zell exclaimed, happy to discover someone else having relationship difficulties. _ "Trouble in River City _ because of your indiscretion with Trepie #2?"

Irvine retorted, "Oh, just shut up!" as Quistis laughed behind her right hand.

* * *

Selphie sat in the back of a Trabia Garden transport truck in the middle of some other SeeDs and upper-classmen. Unlike them, she was not on her way to help with Trabia Garden's continuing construction project, but to visit with Kaede. Kaede was easily the best friend she made during her stay at Trabia Garden and she hadn't seen her for months! Selphie brimmed with excitement in anticipation of seeing her again and also telling her about discovering who her parents were.

After alighting from the truck, checking the heel on both of her boots and entering Trabia Garden, she stopped and asked the first SeeD she noticed for directions to Kaede's room. Selphie reached the room quickly and when she knocked upon the door, she thought she heard the muffled voice of Kaede instruct her to enter.

Throwing the door open and stepping into the room, Selphie observed a tall, dark haired, extremely attractive man with an excellent physique stepping away from the bed, in which her friend lay covered with a sheet. Selphie was able to evaluate the young man's physique so accurately, because he was stark naked!

Selphie gave out with a small shriek and quickly turned her head, but not before noticing his physical attributes included a sizeable erection. While groping behind her for the door knob, she exclaimed "I'm sorry, Kaede. I see you're busy. I'll come back later."

As Selphie turned her back to exit the room, Kaede exclaimed, "Wait, Selphie! We were finished studying. Tatsu was just leaving."

As Selphie turned around, she noticed Tatsu was now somewhat dressed and holding the rest of his clothing. He stepped by her quickly and out the open door. Closing the door, Selphie commented, "You certainly have a unique approach to studying."

Kaede giggled. "You'd be surprised how it helps your power of concentration."

As the totally nude Kaede arose from the bed and began to roam her room searching for flung articles of clothing, Selphie said "But seriously, Kaede, what in the hell are you thinking about? You could get booted out of this place."

As Kaede turned to respond, Selphie couldn't help but notice that her friend's physical attributes had ripened and matured. Suddenly realizing she was staring, Selphie slightly glanced away as her friend answered, "Oh, it's okay. Things have been so chaotic here that nobody notices anything."

"You can look now, Selphie," she giggled. "I'm decent."

As Selphie returned her gaze to Kaede, who was now wearing a bra and panties, she asked Selphie, "What's happened to you? We never worried about what we were wearing, when we were together. We're both girls, for Hyne's sake."

Selphie answered "We were just kids. Things are different now because we're grown."

"Well, anyway," Kaede said, slipping into her blouse and pants. "You came to get some cheese cake, didn't you? You're in luck, the coffee shop is open."

"Yes!" exclaimed Selphie. "Let's go get some."

* * *

After Squall and Rinoa had eaten lunch together and were walking from the cafeteria, Squall asked, "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Remember when I agreed to talk with my father, the deal was you would do anything I'd ask of you?" Rinoa replied.

"Yeah" Squall responded warily, never being quite certain what twisted thing Rinoa might have in her mind.

"Well, I'm calling in my chip" Rinoa explained. "I want you to go with me right now and visit Akane."

"Akane! - the spy from Galbadia, who is purported to be the Legendary SeeD's daughter?" Squall asked astounded. "Whatever for, Rinoa?"

"Because the entire time you were gone, she insisted so she wanted to meet you that I think it's only right she's given the opportunity" Rinoa answered smiling maliciously.

"I'm dead set against this, Rinoa and I think it's a horrible idea, but a promise is a promise" Squall sighed.

Rinoa smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "So let's go."

* * *

When Squall and Rinoa stepped up to the window of the disciplinary room, they were astonished to observe Akane was half nude and was attired in some sort of diaper!

"Rinoa, what the hell is going on here?" Squall said in an angry tone.

Turning to Squall, she replied, "I honestly don't have any idea, Squall, but I'm going to find out right now!"

Rinoa crossed the room to where the two young women upper-classmen were standing on watch.

"Why is Akane only wearing a diaper?" Rinoa demanded.

One of the two students, a tall, willowy blonde glanced superciliously at Rinoa and spoke in a languid voice. "Because it's the only clothing we can keep on her. She keeps ripping everything else off."

"Why would she do that?" Rinoa wanted to know.

The other student, a short, redheaded beauty, with a trim figure, answered "The doctor says it's cause she thinks she's a baby, but if you ask me - she's just doing it to be defiant. You should see us when we need to change her diaper. It takes eight of us to hold her down and it's gross, and if I were you, I'd leave her alone. She's got a heckuva of a nasty attitude."

"Yeah," the tall blonde agreed, "And you'd better take your boyfriend with you, before you all get in trouble. There's not supposed to be any men in here, for obvious reasons."

Rinoa sputtered, "My boyfriend!...that's...oh, what's the use?" Rinoa recognized that it would be well nigh on to impossible to get anything into those two heads except more air.

While crossing back to where Squall stood obliquely by the side of the window, where Akane hadn't noticed him as of yet, Rinoa vaguely remembered from one of the many books she had perused in the Garden library that Akane might be suffering from a mental condition that was known as regression where a person who finds their present reality to be so distasteful that they subconsciously choose to regress to an infantile stage. Rinoa also remembered there was only one successful therapy - attempting to reach the adult through soothing the infant.

Grasping Squall by the arm, Rinoa pulled him up to the front of the window. Akane noticed them immediately and stepped toward the window saying, "So the little Deling City slut has come to visit."

Noticing Rinoa wearing a SeeD uniform, she quipped, "Where did you steal that uniform? I know there's no way you earned it and who's that with you, your new boyfriend, now that Squall is dead?"

Rinoa smiled sweetly at her and replied, "Akane, I'd like you to meet Squall." Turning to Squall, Rinoa said, "Squall, I'd like you to meet this little baby from Deling City."

"Rinoa" Squall warned.

When Akane suddenly realized that Squall had not only escaped death, but also imprisonment, she perceived the information she had forwarded to Deling City had led to absolutely nothing. When she realized her mission had been a complete failure, her bitter, brittle facade crumbled into a near psychotic state. Akane charged the shatterproof glass again and again attempting to reach the object of her hatred - Rinoa!

Squall suggested, "We'd better leave, Rinoa. I think we've done enough damage."

"No!" she exclaimed. "You leave. I'm staying," she ordered in a voice Squall had never heard before.

Rather than becoming embroiled in a lengthy, public argument with her, he acceded to her demand and quietly left.

Rinoa approached the "air-head twins" and asked to be allowed into the disciplinary room. When she was refused by the tall blonde, she pulled _ rank _ as a SeeD and ordered the upper-classman to unlock the door.

As soon as Rinoa stepped into the disciplinary room with the door being locked behind her, Akane kicked out at Rinoa's left knee tumbling her to the floor. Akane flew through the air and landed across Rinoa in a complete body slam knocking all the air out of her. Akane quickly arose and noticed the physical activity had stressed the giant safety pin, placed perfectly behind her back so she couldn't access it, to pop open and she seized the opportunity to tear her diaper off leaving her stark naked. As Rinoa struggled to regain her breath, Akane leaned down and ripped off her blouse with the buttons flying everywhere and then tore her brassiere into two pieces. When Rinoa finally regained her feet, Akane pulled her skirt and panties down to the floor leaving Rinoa standing completely nude except for her shoes. Rinoa reached out suddenly and wrestled Akane to the floor and embraced her in an all encompassing hug, pressing as much of her bare body as she could against Akane's in an effort to provide skin contact which is all important in the soothing of an infant. She proceeded to rock her gently while telling Akane that she forgave her for all the things she had done to her and all the things she had said and asked to be forgiven in turn. The tighter Rinoa held Akane's bare body to her's, the less Akane struggled until finally she stopped completely and began to be racked with sobs. As the young girl was weeping, Rinoa continued to rock her back and forth and began to whisper terms of endearment to her.

Finally as Akane began to gain some control over her crying, Rinoa loosened her grip on the young girl in order to discover how Akane would react. Akane wiped some of the tears from her eyes and leaned over to Rinoa and kissed her full on the lips as a young child would kiss a parent.

An hour later, Rinoa stood up from their long conversation, now completely dressed except for her ruined bra, and held her arms out to help Akane off the floor.

Rinoa explained, "I'll come visit you everyday and I'm gonna try to get Cid to grant you parole to me and Selphie, so you can get outta here a little everyday."

Akane asked, "What makes you so good, Rinoa?"

Rinoa thought for a moment and then replied seriously, "I'm not good. I just have the ability to bring out goodness in others."

Leaning forward, she gave Akane a quick kiss on the cheek and promised, "I'll be back later today to visit you and I'll bring you some clothing."

Rinoa, holding her buttonless blouse closed with her left hand, signaled the upper-classmen with her right hand to release her.

* * *

Later in the afternoon just before the dinner hour, Zell rushed into the library hoping that his girlfriend was still present. Looking wildly around, he finally espied her in the second room shelving books as usual.

Rushing up to her, Zell exclaimed, "Na-."

The pigtail girl whirled around, realized it was Zell and purposely dropped the stack of books she was holding onto the floor, where they fell scattered at her feet. She threw her hands around the back of Zell's neck and, stepping up on her tiptoes, she interrupted him by passionately kissing him. Stepping back, she confessed, "I'm so happy you're here. I was so afraid you wouldn't show up."

"But-," Zell began to say. "Shh" the pigtail girl whispered, placing her forefinger to his lips. "Let it be, Zell. Just let it be."

* * *

On the following evening after dinner, Rinoa was beginning to feel some excitement concerning her involvement in the Garden Festival, despite her initial misgivings. As their performance in the Festival was due to begin in a half an hour, Rinoa was quickly changing into her costume. As she stood dressed only in a thong, she held up her skimpy outfit that consisted of just a whisper of a top that covered the bare minimum of her ample breasts and a macro-mini skirt.

The outfit was another thing Rinoa initially had misgivings over, but Selphie had managed to appeal to Rinoa's vanity by expressing to her their performance badly wanted for some sex appeal. None of Rinoa's more traditional bra and panties would have sufficed under the outfit, as they would have been larger than the top and skirt. Rinoa had adamantly refused Selphie's suggestion that she wear nothing at all beneath the extremely short skirt. They finally had to travel all the way to Esthar in the Ragnarok on that very day to locate a specialty lingerie shop that sold thongs.

Even though the stage in the Quad area had been completely remodeled by the F.H. technicians and now had a stage curtain and a large back stage area, it didn't yet have any dressing rooms. As there would be many different groups of upper-classmen and SeeDs performing various entertainments in the Festival, such as, poetry readings, dramatic readings, dance numbers, comedy acts and even scenes from plays, there would be over a hundred people back stage and Rinoa didn't trust one of them in the confusion to not knock over a dressing screen, which would be the only place she could change into her outfit, if she chose not to in her or Squall's room.

But by dressing in a dorm room, Rinoa realized the drawback was she would have to walk through the Garden from Squall's room in the dormitory down to the Quad and suffer the stares and possible catcalls from upper-classmen she would pass along the way.

Dressing quickly and how else could you dress in such a minimal outfit, she thought and double checking in the mirror on the wall that her top did cover what it was legally required to, she left the room and began walking down the dormitory corridor.

Finally arriving at the back stage area and still blushing furiously from the lewd suggestions she received on her way through the Garden, Rinoa observed Zell tuning his electric guitar and Irvine removing his cowboy hat and long cattleman's coat in anticipation of his role as lead singer.

Selphie was quickly darting hither and yon in a frenzied attempt to micromanage every activity, pertaining to the Festival. As she was stepping past, Rinoa touched Selphie on her shoulder and said "Selphie, I'm here!"

Turning quickly toward Rinoa, Selphie smirked at her and exclaimed, "Rinoa, you look absolutely fabulous in that outfit! Doesn't she, Irvine?"

"She looks incredible" Irvine replied, leering at Rinoa.

More to escape the expressions of Selphie and Irvine than anything else, Rinoa stepped toward the front of the stage and peered through the red, velour curtains and out into the audience. She ascertained every one of the red, plush theatre seats that sat row upon row were filled. The theatre seats were also part of the renovation done by the F.H. technicians, along with a small mosh pit area that was used during rock and roll performances.

Since the finale was Selphie, Irvine, Zell and Rinoa playing a medley of pop hits by the currently poplular _ Deling City Marauders, _ the mosh pit was completely filled with overly excited male upper-classmen, who were already body-slamming each other and pogoing everywhere.

When all of their electrical equipment had been set up by the backstage crew, Selphie ordered, "Everyone, hit your mark!"

Rinoa, who was playing the tambourine and singing backup, took the mark next to Irvine very near the lip of the stage. Selphie, who was playing electric bass and Zell, who was playing electric lead guitar, were standing slightly behind Irvine and Rinoa. Behind Selphie and Zell stood a preprogramed drum machine.

Ascertaining everyone was on their mark and ready to perform, Selphie ordered the curtain opened. As the curtain began to open, the activity in the mosh pit became even more frenzied.

Launching into the first song, Rinoa felt herself caught up in the excitement of the crowd and began some frenzied dancing of her own, never noticing the affect she was having on the upper-classmen males, which was significant. They had ceased all prior activity and were now all crowded at the lip of the stage intently watching Rinoa, as her extremely short skirt would fly up near her waist totally exposing her narrow thong.

Midway through the performance, one of the male upper-classmen could no longer control himself and reaching up and grasping Rinoa by the ankle, he attempted to pull her off the stage!

As Rinoa screamed and teetered on the edge of the stage, Irvine and Zell both reached out attempting to keep her from being pulled down in the mosh pit. When another male upper-classman reached up and clutched Rinoa's other ankle, she was quickly yanked completely off the stage leaving Irvine holding her skirt in his hand and Zell gripping her halter-top!

Zell cried "No way!" and quickly pushing by Irvine, he leaped down into the current melee in the mosh pit where Rinoa had quickly disappeared into a sea of hands and sexually frenzied male upper-classmen! She began screaming to elicit someone's attention, but quickly realized her cries for help could not be heard above the loud rock and roll performance, as Selphie and Irvine had continued performing beside the electric drum machine.

Rinoa kept moving in an attempt to avoid the hands that were caressing parts of her nearly totally nude anatomy. She looked wildly into the audience searching for Squall, but, of course, everything resembled a blur to her.

When Rinoa suddenly felt some hands reach down and deftly remove her thong from her body leaving her stark naked except for her high heels, she became extremely frightened because of the ever increasing wildness of the crowd of teenage boys, when suddenly she glimpsed Zell swinging his electric guitar in a wide arc knocking male upper-classmen down to the floor in every direction cutting a swathe through them straight to Rinoa!

"Oh, thank Hyne!" she cried aloud.

Finally reaching her, Zell commanded, "Run like hell, Rinoa and don't look back!"

Offering Zell a quick kiss on his cheek, Rinoa whirled and pounded through the path of fallen upper-classmen that Zell had just carved for her with his electric guitar.

When she began to rapidly run up the staircase from the Quad area, Rinoa glanced over her shoulder and perceived no one was aware of her, but that all of the audience was still engrossed with the rock and roll performance. "Thank Hyne for small favors," she thought to herself.

Luckily Rinoa didn't pass anyone at the end of the long staircase that led to the Quad area or down the corridor leading back to the rotunda.

As she continued to race around the rotunda to the corridor that led to the dormitories, Rinoa realized that, luckily for her, the only people not attending or participating in the Festival were the poor unfortunates who had drawn evening duties, and the staff had endeavored to keep them at a bare minimum.

After traveling down the corridor that was connected to the dormitories of both the men and women, Rinoa turned left at the door that led to the men's dormitory, Rinoa finally reached the sanctuary of Squall's room. She threw herself down on his bed and fell asleep almost immediately, but not before thinking, "Wait 'til I get my hands on Selphie! I'm gonna kill her!" 


	22. Once Again Chapter Twenty Two

Once Again

Chapter Twenty-Two

_Ellone Pays a Visit_

Deling City Redux

Irvine, Selphie and Zell were sitting around a cafeteria table after finishing their breakfast. Zell's girlfriend has already left for her shift in the library.

Irvine asked "What in the heck happened to Rinoa last night after she fell into the mosh pit?"

"She probably had a good time" Selphie retorted.

Zell responded, "I can't believe how mean spirited you are."

"I just can't help it," Selphie explained, "She's just such a klutz. I'm beginning to think she's doing this stuff on purpose."

"Well, speak of the devil" Irvine said espying Rinoa ambling into the cafeteria.

Rinoa strode directly to their table and looming over Selphie exclaimed "How dare you purposely leave me in that mosh pit stark naked with all those grabby male upper-classmen!"

"Aw, you loved it, Rinoa," retorted Selphie.

Suddenly Rinoa appeared so furious Zell became frightened she was going to strike Selphie, as he noticed she was clenching her fists.

Irvine, attempting to intervene, exclaimed "Girls! Please calm down."

Rinoa spun around and informed Irvine, "If you see any _ girls _ here, they'll get down on their knees and clean your pipes."

"Yeah, you tell him, Rinoa" reinforced Selphie.

Rinoa turned and grinned at her.

Irvine sprang to his feet and exclaimed, "It's Sis!" and pointed with his right hand toward the front of the cafeteria where, sure enough, Ellone was stepping in her strange pigeon toed manner, partially because of the long narrow dress she was usually wearing.

Hurrying to their table, Ellone appeared anxious and distracted. While everyone called out greetings to her, she responded, "Where's Squall?"

Irvine explained, "He's in morning staff meeting. Here" Irvine held out his right arm. "Allow me to escort you."

"Irvine!" Selphie said harshly, "Stop it! Can't you see she's upset about something? Now sit down, I'll take her."

As Selphie and Ellone exited the cafeteria, Zell said, "I see someone's still in the _ dog house." _

"Bow Wow" giggled Rinoa as Irvine scowled at Zell.

* * *

In morning staff meeting, Doctor Kadowaki asked, "Cid, what was our purpose in leaving Trabia during the night and traveling to Winhill?"

Cid answered "I thought things there were getting a little stale with people starting to become slightly remiss in their duties due to the comfort-ability of having a sister Garden so close. Plus I have a gut feeling that something involving Winhill may be next on Deling City's agenda, since so far they have fairly well escaped their grasp."

"Besides," Cid continued with an impish grin, "I was becoming more than a little sick of Dyne Barrett's _ glad handing." _

Squall glanced up irritably. "Are we about done here?" Across the table from him, Seifer offered him thumbs up.

Fujin suddenly announced "ELEVATOR!"

Everybody automatically turned their heads toward the elevator to discover who stepped off.

As Ellone stepped off the elevator, Selphie remained to return it to the first floor. The people around the table began to stir in surprise at Ellone's sudden appearance when Cid stood up and welcomed her, inviting her to sit at the table.

Squall immediately realizing something was amiss, asked "What's wrong, Sis?"

"Uncle Laguna's been kidnapped!" was her surprising answer.

Immediately everyone began demanding an explanation by asking an assortment of questions, which turned the situation quickly into complete chaos.

"I'll answer everyone's questions, but one at a time, please," Ellone pleaded.

As the room fell silent, Ellone continued, "In fact, allow me to tell you in my own fashion and then you can question me further. As you may be aware of, Rainey is buried outside of Winhill and Uncle Laguna desired to visit her grave and, as Kiros and Ward were busy in a city planning meeting of some sort, he managed to slip out of the palace undetected by them. He did, at least, bring two soldiers with him, but they turned out to be no help at all, because Galbadia had been remaining on watch over Rainey's grave just in case this eventuality ever occurred."

Ellone drew a breath and then continued. "The Esthar soldiers were overpowered easily by a squad of Galbadian soldiers and Uncle Laguna was whisked away and this note was left."

Ellone handed the note to Cid across the table, who took it. After reading it, he passed it on to the next person to go around the table and then he explained, "They are holding Laguna for ransom."

"What do they want?" Squall quickly asked.

"Akane" Cid answered.

"Akane?" the doctor echoed amazed.

"That's not too surprising, considering she's the President's daughter" Squall commented.

"What are the details, Cid?" asked Squall, not wishing to wait for the note to make its way around the table to him.

"Might I suggest, Cid, that we excuse Ellone if no one has any further questions of her, before we get into discussion and the planning stage?" asked Doctor Kadowaki.

"That's a good idea, doctor" Cid agreed. After asking the table at large if they had further questions of an immediate import for Ellone, he said "Ellone, I hope you're going to remain with us for a while."

Ellone answered, "Yes, there is nothing for me presently in Esthar. I would like to stay and be with old friends at such a time."

After Ellone had vacated Cid's office and was returning to the first floor, Cid, who had returned to his desk in the meantime, called Xu and General Caraway to his office over the intercom.

* * *

After Xu, who was still hobbling on crutches and General Caraway had arrived in Cid's office and were seated at the table, Cid began by informing them of the situation.

Squall suggested, "The note indicated the exchange would be in two days time. I think we should go in tomorrow and get settled in so we can investigate the situation closely."

"I concur with that," General Caraway agreed, having just finished reading the ransom note. "And I suggest you rendezvous in my mansion. I imagine it is still sitting empty, except for the household staff."

Xu asked, "What about Akane? Are you going to take her with you in chains or what?"

Squall replied flatly in an attempt to forestall any agrument, "We definitely need to take her with us, if we have any hope of getting Laguna back alive. And as far as your question concerning the chains - No, Rinoa can help with that. Akane has completely bonded with Rinoa."

As Cid knew nothing of Rinoa's interactions with Akane, he began to protest but was interrupted by the doctor, who concurred, "Yes, Rinoa has worked wonders with her. Akane appears to be a completely different person."

General Caraway beamed with paternal pride.

"Okay, all that is decided" stated Cid. "Now we need to decide who's going."

* * *

Zell, Rinoa, Irvine and Selphie were eating lunch together in the cafeteria. Naturally enough, they were discussing the sudden appearance of Ellone and considering the possible ramifications of her visit when Irvine, once again, espied Ellone entering the cafeteria.

"Hey, there she is now" Irvine responded.

As they turned toward her, they noticed she was moving in their direction. As she approached the table, Irvine sprang up and pulled a chair out for her. As she was sitting, she thanked Irvine and sighed, "It's been quite a twenty-four hours."

Never one to stand on ceremony, Zell demanded "What the hell's going on, Ellone?"

Selphie admonished "Zell! Knock it off! She'll tell us if she wants to."

Ellone spoke gently "It's alright, Zell. There's no reason to keep it a secret from you all, now that I've spoken with Cid. Uncle Laguna's been kidnapped by Galbadia."

Her statement caused general consternation around the table.

"What is this really about?" Selphie asked. "Is Galbadia trying to force Esthar to surrender?"

Ellone shook her head. "No, they are holding him in exchange for somebody named Akane."

"Oh, no" Rinoa murmured.

"I get it" Irvine stated. As everybody turned to him, Irvine continued, "They know Squall will show and they want another shot at him. It must really irk the President that he got away."

Rinoa stood and exclaimed, "This time he's not going without me!"

Selphie retorted "Rinoa, sit down! You're making youself a spectacle again." And reaching out with her hand, she pulled Rinoa back into her chair. "And, besides, I bet we're all going this time."

Ellone spoke delighted, "There's Quisty and a extremely handsome young man."

"Oh, I know him" Rinoa explained, "His name is Kazuya."

Selphie elaborated, "That's Quistis's new _ main squeeze." _

"How wonderful to see you again, Ellone" Quistis greeted, when she approached the table followed by Kazuya.

"Hi, Quisty" Ellone replied, "Something must be agreeing with you. You look positively radiant."

Blushing slightly and seemingly presenting the reason for her recent happiness, she introduced Kazuya to everyone sitting at the table.

After Quistis had seated herself and Kazuya remained standing behind her chair, Quistis was apprised of the current situation.

"Hmmm" she said thoughtfully, "I think everyone should keep their bags packed. I bet we'll be moving out quickly."

* * *

Doctor Kadowaki asked, "Have we decided everything?"

Cid ordered "Fujin, please read back the last few minutes."

Squall sighed loudly impatient. He was hungry and it was long past lunch.

Fujin read from her notes of the meeting. "Three separate parties will enter Deling City early a.m. tomorrow; each to enter one hour after the other, beginning at 5 o'clock a.m. The three parties will consist of Squall, Zell and Rinoa; Irvine, Mishima and Kasumi and the last party will be Quistis, Selphie and Kazuya."

"Thank you" Cid acknowledged. "We will drop them off from the Garden, because the last thing we need is the Ragnarok to be spotted outside of the city."

Cid stood up and adjourned the meeting. "Squall, I need to speak with you for a moment."

As the others were crowding around the elevator, Cid led Squall to the back of the office, so they would not be overheard. "There's only one piece of advice I can offer you, if it turns out you have to fight Mamoru" Cid counseled. "When he's moving in for his _ kill stroke, _ he will feint three times, right, left and the right; his next move will start from his left. But I hope and pray it doesn't come down to that."

* * *

Having eaten dinner together, Irvine was silently walking Selphie back to the women's dormitory.

"Irvy?" Selphie said in a surprisingly soft tone.

"Yeah."

Selphie placed her hand on his arm and prevented him from walking. Gazing up in his face, as Irvine was considerably taller, her words came out in a rush, "I'm sorry I've been such a bitch lately. But you hurt me so badly with Trepie #2."

"Aw, Sefie," Irvine protested, "It's you I love. That was just lust."

"Oh, just shut up" Selphie whispered and, standing on her tiptoes, she began to passionately kiss him.

* * *

Squall and Rinoa, thoroughly sexually satiated for the moment, were lying nakedly on the narrow bed in Squall's room. Rinoa asked "I'm spending the night with you, aren't I?"

When Squall shook his head, Rinoa began to protest but was interrupted when Squall replied, "We're leaving at four o'clock in the morning. This _ time _ you need to get your sleep" Squall grinned.

* * *

It was just past three a.m. the next morning, Zell was already awake in his solitary room packing his small backpack for the upcoming mission. He was feeling too hyper to sleep further, when suddenly he heard a soft knock on his door.

"Now what the hell?!" he thought. Throwing his door open, he was amazed to observe his girlfriend, clad only in a sheer nightie through which her nude body could be readily seen, standing in the hall. Brushing by him she quickly stepped into his room. As he spun to face her, she directed, "I talk, you listen."

"I've come to wish you good luck and to inform you there will be a surprise waiting for you, when you return from Deling City."

"Uh, what are you talking about?" stammered the blushing Zell.

The pigtail girl answered, "As Irvine would say, you have to read between the lines." She kissed him passionately, slipping her tongue into his startled mouth and then disappeared out the door and down the corridor like a wisp on the wind.

* * *

The Garden settled down on the beach, outside of Deling City, on the Great Plains of Galbadia and the nine SeeDs involved in the mission, along with Akane, quickly exited. Watching the Garden lift off immediately and head out to sea to wait outside of immediate eye sight. Squall turned to the group and instructed, "Irvine, Rinoa and I will head in first and take Akane with us. The second group of Zell, Mishima and Kasumi should follow in an hour."

Even though it had been originally decided that Zell would travel with them, Squall made a command decision that Zell needed to be the one to guide Mishima and Kasumi, because Irvine lacked any real knowledge of efficiently traversing the sewers. Squall concluded with his orders, "Quistis, Selphie and Kazuya should follow Zell's party one hour after that."

"Ja ne" Squall grinned, as he, Rinoa and Irvine began jogging toward Deling City, as they had decided a forehand that speed would be of the essence. Akane left in a dead sprint and raced two hundred yards ahead of them before stopping, needing to catch her breath.

"Akane's feeling good" Rinoa commented.

"Kids!" Irvine replied shaking his head.

Turning her head away from Irvine, Rinoa suppressed her laughter.

* * *

An hour later, they were walking into the outskirts of Deling City. Stepping past the Rent-A-Car business and into the city, they were able to avoid the cluster of Galbadian soldiers that were always stationed at the foot of the staircase, leading down from the train station.

Fifteen minutes later, they were moving rapidly through the halls in the Deling City sewer system. Several fights with bats occurred without incidence, but following one battle with Creeps, Rinoa leaned down and wailed, "They tore my blue vest and this is my last one! Darn! I'm gonna have to try and mend this."

Squall replied with a smile, "Come on now, I'll buy you a new one" and he began, once again, to run down a hallway. Rinoa trailed behind whining, "You can't! They stopped making these."

As they stepped quietly into the General's den, they stood for a moment silently with bated breath. When at last, Squall decided they could communicate, he warned, "We still need to remain extremely careful, until we know for certain there is nobody here."

Rinoa explained, "I'm sure the household staff is still here, but they won't say anything."

Irvine announced, "I'm going to investigate the first floor."

"I wanna go too!" Akane whined, looking at Rinoa for permission.

Rinoa answered, "If it's alright with _ Uncle Irvine, _ it's alright with me."

Irvine glared hard at Rinoa, but spoke resignedly, "It's okay. You can come along."

"Oh boy!" Akane jumped happily beside him and then quickly followed him from the den.

After they exited the room, Rinoa broke into deep laughter.

As Squall appeared confounded, Rinoa giggled and explained, "Irvine and I spent the night here, before we traveled to the D-District Prison. He's unaware I returned here, after he had left to meet at the hotel and I spoke with Usagi."

"Who's that?" Squall naturally questioned.

Rinoa related that Usagi was a downstairs maid, who was an extremely attractive, blonde hair, young woman with an abundant bust line and extremely long, beautifully scuplted, legs whose hair was styled resembling two meatballs on top of her head, and who Irvine had made love to.

"So I know that's who he wants to locate and now he's stuck with Akane."

"Wow!" Squall exclaimed, "If Selphie ever hears about this Usagi, she _ will _ kill him."

Rinoa thought to herself, "If I ever have to tell her, I will already have killed him."

Squall and Rinoa were sitting quietly talking in the General's den, as they rarely had an opportunity at the Garden to experience quiet time alone, when Zell, Mishima and Kasumi entered the room through the hidden passageway.

"Greetings gates" Zell exclaimed.

"Hey everybody!" greeted Mishima.

"How did it go?" questioned Squall.

"Fine" Kasumi answered.

Zell elaborated, "Quistis, Kazuya and Selphie should be leaving the beach area right about now."

"Let's go look around," Mishima suggested. "I've never been anywhere this fancy."

"Just be quiet doing it," Squall cautioned and added, "Rinoa tells me the staff will be supportive of us so, if you happen to meet any, find out any information that could possibly help us."

"Okey dokey" Zell replied and led the young women out of the room.

Rinoa commented, "They seem happy enough."

An hour later, when Quistis, Kazuya and Selphie entered the General's den through the secret passageway, Rinoa was sitting in her bra and panties on Squall's lap involved in a long passionate kiss, with the rest of her clothing scattered on the floor, polite conversation having broken down a short while ago.

"Rinoa!" Quistis exclaimed shocked, "Have some decency! There's a man present."

Leaping up quickly from Squall's lap and slipping on her black blouse and shorts, Rinoa, totally embarrassed and blushing furiously, muttered an apology.

Squall questioned laconically, "Any difficulty?"

Selphie shook her head negatively and, after glancing around the den, asked, "Where's Irvine?"

"He and Akane went exploring," Rinoa answered, while donning the rest of her outfit.

"I'd like to speak with him" Selphie replied pointedly.

"Here" Rinoa offered, "I'll help you look for him."

Rinoa guided Selphie down to the first floor thinking possibly Irvine had gone searching for Usagi anyway, despite having Akane with him, but she discovered Usagi in the large kitchen and upon questioning her, Usagi denied having seen either Irvine or Akane.

"Let's try the second floor," Rinoa suggested.

"I'm game" was Selphie's terse reply.

While stepping down a wide hallway of second floor bedrooms, Rinoa heard some noise coming from inside one of them. Pausing at the door and when knocking upon it drew no immediate response, Rinoa opened the door and stepped into the room quickly followed by Selphie. Both young women were more than shocked when they observed a totally naked Mishima, down on her knees, in front of Zell, who was standing _ sans apparel. _

Rinoa exclaimed, "Mishima!" while Selphie stood frozen with, for once, her mouth agape and not moving.

Hearing her name and realizing that she and Zell had unwanted visitors, Mishima pulled her mouth away from her immediate endeavor and glanced back over her shoulder and offered Rinoa a wink. Both Rinoa and Selphie were astonished at the size of Zell's now visible erection.

Arising to her feet quickly and striding over to Rinoa and Selphie, apparently completely unconcerned with her total nakedness or the entire situation for that matter, Mishima began pushing Rinoa and Selphie out of the bedroom while saying, "I'm sorry, this room is taken. Try the bedroom next door, if you please."

Suddenly Rinoa and Selphie found themselves out in the hallway with the door being slammed in their faces. They looked at each other flabbergasted, but both declined to comment and, in fact, neither one ever spoke of it to anybody.

After checking all of the second and third floors to no avail, they moved to the topmost floor and were moving past a bedroom, when Rinoa thought she heard Irvine and Akane's voices inside the room. Instantly suspicious, Rinoa pointed her finger at the door, not uttering a sound and Selphie nodded and then threw open the door.

The sight that greeted them was predictable to Selphie and horrifying to Rinoa. Akane lay in bed under a sheet, with a totally nude Irvine hovering over the young girl.

"Akane!" Rinoa exclaimed, shocked to the very marrow of her bones.

"Irvine!" Selphie shouted, angry to the very essence of her soul.

When Akane quickly scrambled from the bed and stood on the floor beginning to cry, Rinoa was gratified to notice that, at least, Akane was appareled in her panties. She realized it wouldn't do at all to return Akane to the President as _ damaged goods. _

Akane broke into sobs and, bending over in an attempt to hide her pert little breasts, she buried her head in her hands. Rinoa rushed to her side and embraced her in a hug, while Selphie stood over Irvine, as if daring him to say one word of defense and then she would administer to him the beating of his young life.

Akane sobbed, "Irvine told me no one knew what might happen and I could well be dead by this evening, so I should experience the ecstasy of love at least one time."

"It's alright. Nothing happened," cooed Rinoa in an attempt to sooth the sobbing teenager. "Here," Rinoa suggested, while gathering up Akane's upper-classman uniform which lay scattered on the bedroom floor, "We'll go to my room and pick out something better for you to wear. I still have a closet full of clothes from when I was younger."

Rinoa led the weeping teenager from the room, while Selphie remained standing over Irvine, who futilely attempted to hide his substantial erection from her piercing gaze.


	23. Once Again Twenty Three

Once Again

Chapter Twenty-Three

_The Lengendary SeeD_

Squall and Quistis were sitting in the General's den and comparing their experiences during the interrogation sessions at the D-District Prison.

"I can understand they had me blindfolded in order to strike terror in me," admitted Quistis, "and it did! But what I can't understand is why you weren't blindfolded, but instead the interrogator was during your session."

"I think initially it was to physically intimidate me by allowing me to see the size of my _ opponent" _ explained Squall. "But later, of course, it was to allow me to see you and what they were doing to you in order to make me talk."

"So the common factor in both of our experiences was being unable to see who the interrogator was," Quistis mused.

"Which means," Squall continued in the same vein of thought "they thought we might recognize him and didn't want us to be able to."

Squall," Quistis asked, "Do you think it possibly could have been Mamoru?"

Squall's face broke into a huge smile. "Of course it was! You're a genius, Quisty."

Quistis smiled in return. "I'm pretty damn smart, but I wouldn't go as far as genius."

As Quistis and Squall sat and continued their conversation, the issues of Quistis's embarrassment over Squall witnessing her being stripped naked in public and Squall's guilt over not being able to save Quistis from public humiliation were not touched upon, but nevertheless lay very near the surface of their interactions and in the very forefront of their minds. When they both chose to ignore their true feelings out of fear of rejection if they articulated them and instead continued to make small talk, the issues were destined to remain unresolved to another time.

* * *

Several hours later, as Squall stepped back into the General's den returning from his trip to the kitchen to acquire some lunch, he observed Selphie and Quistis huddled together talking softly.

"Something wrong?" Squall inquired.

"Uh" Quistis began, "We weren't going to mention this, but Rinoa appears to be missing. We can't seem to locate her anywhere in the mansion and no one has seen her for a while."

"And we're worried because we think she went out into the city by herself" Selphie added.

Squall smiled. "No need to worry. I'd be the first to admit, if this was six months ago, I'd be extremely worried. But the changes I've seen her go through over the last couple of months and the incredible things she has accomplished has convinced me she can take care of herself."

As Rinoa was just stepping into the den from the hidden passageway, she overheard everything Squall had just spoken. It gratified her more fully than anything ever had previously in her young life.

"Dom Arigato" she replied.

Squall turned toward her and smiled his bishonen smile.

Rinoa spoke excitedly "Wait 'til you hear what I discovered! The President is having a political rally tonight."

"Wait, Rinoa," Squall suggested, "Let's get everybody together to hear this."

"Good idea" Rinoa answered.

* * *

After the nine SeeDs had assembled in the General's den and were seated anywhere they could find including the top of the General's desk, Squall began, "Rinoa has some new information, regarding our mission."

"Where's Akane?" Mishima wondered.

"She's sleeping in my bedroom" Rinoa answered. "She experienced quite a severe trauma today" Rinoa elaborated, while glaring at Irvine.

"I went into the city and talked with some of the same people, who helped me get into the D-District Prison," Rinoa began. "And they informed me, there is a special political rally scheduled for 8 o'clock this evening, at which the President is going to speak."

"So this means the President is revealing his identity to the general public" Squall interrupted.

"Uh, huh" Rinoa agreed, never missing a beat in the conversation. "They said it's because he's worried about the flagging public enthusiasm toward the war and the increase of resistance against the government."

"But how will this help us?" asked Zell. "Obviously we're not going to attempt to trade Akane for Laguna at a political rally, are we?"

"Yes, we are" was Rinoa's surprising answer. "The President is going to be presenting Laguna in chains to the public, as proof that Galbadia is winning the war."

"What nerve" muttered Quistis.

"Well, that settles it," Squall said flatly, "We're going in. Rinoa, Zell, Akane and myself will leave here at six. That will leave us plenty of time."

"But how are we going to get close enough?" Zell asked.

"I know a passage through the sewers that will bring us directly behind the balcony the President will be speaking from" Squall answered.

Squall spoke warmly, "You did a fine job, Rinoa. I suggest everybody get some rest this afternoon. You never know what might happen this evening."

* * *

At 6 o'clock exactly that evening, the nine SeeDs were reassembled in the General's den. This time, unlike earlier, Akane was present.

"That's a very hot outfit you're wearing, Akane" Mishima complimented.

Akane, who was wearing a pair of extremely abbreviated red hot pants and a see-through white midriff blouse, through which her cute red bra was clearly visible, blushed and explained, "It's something Rinoa found for me from her closet."

"It's very becoming on you, dear - I'm sure" replied Quistis prissily, while thinking "What hideous taste Rinoa used to have!"

Squall asked, "Everybody ready?" When Rinoa and Zelled nodded, Squall instructed the others, "We're going in now. When it comes close to 8 o'clock, see if you can find the rally broadcasted on that radio over there behind the General's desk. I imagine it will be and possibly you can monitor our progress from it. If things go horribly wrong, I expect you all to come get us. I've given Quistis a detailed map, regarding the route to take through the sewers to come up behind the balcony where we should be."

Squall nodded to Rinoa and Zell and the three SeeDs, along with Akane disappeared into the hidden passageway leading back to the sewers. Selphie exclaimed, "Let's get that radio tuned in."

* * *

Squall led the two SeeDs and Akane down the staircase and into the sewers. The party of four set off on their intricate weaving through the maze of hallways and corridors. Once when bats besieged them, Akane sprang forward from behind the frontline of Squall, Rinoa and Zell and pummeled a bat to death with her fists.

After the last bat had fallen dead, Rinoa turned to the ebullient teenager and admonished, "I thought we agreed you would stay back from the fighting. We don't want you to become injured and, besides, you don't want to ruin your outfit, do you?"

Akane, with a huge smile spread across her face, replied excitedly, "I just can't help myself. It's so much fun!" Rinoa smiled lovingly in return.

As they approached the location where turning left would lead them out of the sewers, Squall led them straight instead. Running down two hallways, they came upon a fallen ladder and after crossing it, Squall guided them to a ladder attached to the wall.

"Wow! What this?" Zell questioned.

"This ladder leads to the top of the clock tower and the balcony, from which the President will be speaking" Squall explained. "We need to wait here, until it's close to the time the rally will begin."

Sitting down on the floor, Squall spoke "Might as well take a load off, while we wait."

The three SeeDs and their young charge made small talk among themselves, as the time seemed to stand still for all involved. Finally after what seemed an eternity to Rinoa, Squall arose and spoke, "It's time" and began climbing the ladder.

Followed closely by Rinoa, Akane and finally Zell, Squall realized Zell always managed to position himself under an attractive female posterior while climbing ladders. "Must be a coincidence," he thought. After attaining the top of the ladder and standing in Deling City, Squall reached down and assisted Rinoa and Akane off the ladder. Zell quickly followed.

The tremendously loud din emanating from the crowd could be heard readily by them and Squall suggested, "It sounds as if it will start any minute. We need to hurry."

Guiding the rest of the party up over the stacked wooden crates on the back of a large truck, leading to the second story roof he and Irvine had clambered up what now seemed so long ago, Squall couldn't help but remember that fateful night when, after he and Irvine rescued Rinoa, he instructed her to stay close to him. How little did he really know then, what he was asking for, he thought with a grin.

Attaining a position on the small second story roof, the party of four moved rapidly around the side of the building and Squall led them up another ladder. They were now standing on a slightly slanted half roof. Continuing to guide them, Squall climbed up a short wall and, once reaching the level immediately behind the Presidential balcony, Squall reached down and helped Rinoa and Akane up beside him. Zell soon followed.

Squall heard a familiar deep voice intone over the loudspeaker system "Welcome, Galbadian citizens, I come to you tonight as your President to humbly ask your forgiveness for keeping my identity hidden from you as long as I have."

Squall thought, "Quistis was right! It was Mamoru all along."

Squall began moving rapidly toward the sound of the President's voice and waved the others behind him to follow as the President continued. "The sole reason I remained incognito was to insure my personal safety from the clutches of the Evil Esthar Empire. But because of the nefarious plot between Esthar and Garden," - here the President spat out the word Garden, as if it was an expletive - "my identity is now known to our enemies, so there is no longer any reason for me to not step forward and address you, my citizens of our brave new world."

As a huge roar rose from the crowd, Squall stepped up on the small balcony followed closely by Rinoa, Zell, and Akane. Glancing quickly around the balcony, Squall espied the President, a stack of radio equipment and an announcer sitting behind a microphone at a small desk, a coterie of Galbadian Secret Police and Laguna standing in chains, shackled hands and feet, just as Rinoa had predicted. One of the secret police noticed the invasion of the party of four and he began reaching under his coat for his weapon. Even though the President still had his back to them, he seemed to somehow sense who was behind him and waving off the secret policeman he turned and greeted "Squall, how nice to see you again. I'm not surprised you arrived a day early to crash out little party. I halfway expected to see you tonight, but I'm perplexed. I don't observe my daughter with you." The President apparently didn't recognize Akane in her _ strange _ outfit and because she was standing partially hidden behind Rinoa and Zell.

Before Akane could acknowledge her presence, Squall questioned, "What do you hope to accomplish from this fiasco?"

Mamoru answered slightly puzzled, "I expect to have my darling daughter returned to me."

"No, I don't mean that," replied Squall. "I'm talking about this senseless war with Esthar. What do you hope to accomplish fighting such a needless war that is taking its toll in lives and property on both sides?"

The President realizing the crowd was listening to everything being conveyed and, was beginning to murmur unpleasantly, understood he needed to do something quickly to quiet Squall. Mamoru didn't want to turn the loudspeaker system off, because he realized it would appear suspicious to the crowd, and, besides it was still being broadcast nationwide over the radio. He attempted to answer Squall's question. "I expect to achieve world peace." The crowd behind him roared its approval.

"Oh, come now!" Squall replied. You expect to achieve peace through war? Isn't that a little like expecting life through death?"

Mamoru responded, sensing he was verbally losing to this teenage _ upstart, _ "You're just too much of a peasant to understand the true grandeur of my plans."

"Anyone compared to you is a peasant, aren't they?" Squall replied.

The President flared, "Don't put words in my mouth! I will explain this so even a simpleton such as yourself can readily understand it. I have a vision of one unified world with no conflicts or wars guided by a benevolent government that will respond to the true needs of its citizens."

"And of course," Squall responded sarcastically, "the benevolent government will be a dictatorship by you. You _ are _ truly mad!"

At Squall's last statement, the gigantic crowd hushed in anticipation of their President's response to such audacity.

The anger bubbled out of Mamoru as lava erupts from a raging volcano and he drew his gunblade. "Since you come here to mock me in front of my own people without bringing me my daughter, I will be forced to kill you as an example for all those who would think to cross me!"

When the huge crowd began to scream, as though it were suddenly present in ancient Rome at the gladiator games, Akane screamed in vain "Stop, daddy!" She could not be heard above the din of the crowd. She attempted to rush forward between Squall and Mamoru, but was held back by Rinoa, who feared for Akane's safety.

Mamoru glanced at the secret police and instructed them to not interfere no matter what occurred and then informed Squall, "Draw your weapon, sir!"

Squall drew his gunblade with much misgiving. He realized too late he had overplayed his hand. He had allowed his anger at this posturing madman to overcome his common sense. Now he had to fight the best gunblade specialist Cid had ever seen, instead of just pointing out to him they had brought Akane. It had grown far too late for that simple solution.

Mamoru towered over him standing, at least, six feet, six inches tall. Squall recognized he would be at a distinct disadvantage, because of the President's reach advantage. Squall realized he better forumlate a strategy quickly to offset that.

Not waiting for Mamoru to make the initial move, Squall stepped suddenly inside of him hoping to tie him up by not allowing him the full extent of his reach. Squall quickly learned Mamoru had probably observed that move against him a hundred times, as he just easily glided away from Squall and whipped his gunblade in a savage stroke, which Squall just barely blocked at the last possible second. The man's power shook Squall to the very essence of his being and it took every bit of his strength to retain his gunblade. "He's too strong!" Squall thought wildly.

Behind him, Rinoa's heart was in her throat, as she murmured encouragement only she could hear "Come on, Squall." Beside Rinoa, Akane had begun sobbing.

Squall attempted to step inside of Mamoru again in hope of leaning into him and throwing him off balance somehow, but this time Mamoru stood his ground and, timing it perfectly, brought the butt of his gunblade down in the middle of Squall's forehead knocking him senseless for a moment.

"I tire of this," the President announced more to the roaring crowd than to Squall. "I had heard you were good, but I now discover this was just a rumor; much like the rumored power of Esthar. I will now end this charade," Mamoru stated.

Mamoru then launched into an attack the likes of which Squall had never encountered. It was almost as if the President was giving him and the crowd a lesson on the correct usage of a gunblade. Seemingly striking Squall at will, he was left bleeding from a dozen wounds. As Squall was left slumped on the floor, he could hear Rinoa sobbing and Zell shouting encouragement, as if the sound were traveling through a long tunnel far away.

Squall realized his life was slipping away and he only had one chance left. Gazing at Mamoru, he watched as the President feinted right, left and then right again. Remembering Cid's final words to him, Squall seized the last opportunity that was going to be offered him in his lifetime and called on the power of _ Lion Heart. _

As Mamoru began his line of attack from his left, Squall leaped forward and struck him - ** BANG! ** knocking him back. Mamoru attempted to catch his balance, but Squall was already attacking him - ** BANG! BANG! SWISH! ** - once, twice and three times across the head knocking him flat on his back. When Mamoru struggled back to his feet, Squall attacked four more times brutally disabling his legs and than crashing one, two and three times across his arms rendering him totally defenseless.

Squall came down across him for the final time delivering the killing blow and then slumped on the floor next to him. Rinoa ran sobbing to Squall and quickly cast several couragas on him. She then looked questioningly at Mamoru and then back to Squall, who shook his head indicating to her that couragas wouldn't have any affect on the massive internal injuries he had inflicted on Mamoru.

Akane ran weeping to Mamoru and, throwing herself down across him, cried "Oh, Papa! Why did you have to fight Squall? He didn't come here to fight."

The President finally recognized his daughter and realized she had been present the entire time. "Akane, why are you wearing such a hideous outfit?" he gasped.

As Akane continued to be racked with sobbing, Mamoru stroked her hair and softly intoned, "Don't weep, my child. All things must die."

Akane screamed "No! I won't let you die."

"It's too late for that" Mamoru insisted.

Rinoa ran to the sobbing Akane and helped her stand and embraced her in a hug. "Oh, _ Mommy" _ Akane cried into Rinoa's shoulder.

The President motioned to Squall, who had recovered enough to kneel by Mamoru's side. "I desire you to take Akane back to the Garden with you. It will be the best place for her, after I'm gone. Inform General Caraway he needs to return to Deling City and oversee the running of the government. Tell him he should not desert his native soil, at this time of crisis."

As Squall nodded his understanding, Mamoru raised his right hand. Squall clasped it and Mamoru spoke softly, "Please tell Akane I was possibly misguided, but my intentions were always the best." And Squall watched, as the light faded from Mamoru's eyes. Squall leaned over and closed Mamoru's eyes and then stood up.

He approached the Galbadian Secret Police and demanded they release Laguna, which one of them complied with. When the shackles fell from Laguna, he stepped forward and shook Squall's hand saying, "I am proud to be your father. You handled yourself with great dignity and grace." A tear came to Squall's eye, which he quickly wiped away.

Squall demanded the Galbadian Secret Police escort them quickly from Deling City and rounding up the rest of his party, Laguna included, they followed the secret police down from the balcony and through the almost completely deserted city streets, as the great majority of the crowd had already dispersed to their homes.

Less than two hours later, everyone was safely ensconced back at the Garden. Squall and his entourage had been led by the Galbadian Secret Police from the immediate vicinity of the Presidential Palace, when they were met by Quistis, Kazuya and Irvine, who, upon their hearing the final outcome of the encounter between Squall and Mamoru via the radio broadcast, had immediately vacated the General's mansion and began to search for Squall's party on the then totally deserted Deling City streets.

Selphie had already left with Mishima and Kasumi and, renting an automobile, they drove as speedily as humanly possible to the beach area, where Selphie set off a prearranged flare signaling Nida, who had been patiently standing on the bridge all day searching for such an eventuality with high-powered binoculars.

Upon perceiving the flare, Nida guided the Garden directly to the beach area, where Selphie, Mishima and Kasumi quickly entered the Garden, and then piloted it to just ouside of Deling City, where Squall and company soon appeared. 


	24. Once Again Twenty Four

Once Again

Chapter Twenty-Four

_Aftermath_

Quistis quickly stepped into the doctor's office and, hearing the doctor conversing with a patient in a room some distance away down the hallway, she entered the clinic room Squall was occupying. She immediately perceived he was sleeping and felt slightly guilty awakening him, after all he had been through. She realized she only had until Rinoa was finished tending to the slightly hysterical Akane to speak to Squall in privacy, because Rinoa would certainly come directly to the clinic.

Quistis quietly approached the bed and gently touched Squall's shoulder. "Squall" she spoke softly. Squall's eyes flew open and, after a second of disorientation, he distinguished Quistis and offered a halfway smile. "Hey Quisty."

"I'm sorry to bother you," she began, "but I can't rest, until I talk with you."

"What's wrong?" he wondered.

Quistis flushed slightly and admitted, "This is very difficult for me. I want to talk about what happened in the prison."

"Quistis, don't!" Squall pleaded. "Just let it go."

Quistis angrily stamped her foot. "No, Squall! We can't just let it go. If we do, it will color our relationship for the rest of our lives. Every time we see each other, we'll think of it. I don't know about you, but I'm unhappy with that. I need our friendship back."

Squall responded softly, "I'm still your friend, Quisty."

"Fine" she replied. "But until I talk this out, I don't know if I'm yours. When I first returned to the Garden from the prison, I was very angry at you. I blamed you for what happened to me."

"I do, too," Squall confessed.

"Well, that's wrong!" Quistis declared. "The person I should have been angry with was Mamoru, not you - but anger was not the real issue."

Perceiving the momentary puzzlement appearing on Squall's face, Quistis elaborated, "I was using anger to hide my true feelings from myself. I wasn't angry at you or anyone else, I was embarrassed."

Again Squall attempted to sabotage Quistis by appealing, "You don't have to do this; it doesn't matter to me."

Quistis silenced Squall by replying, "It matters to me. I initially thought I was embarrassed, because you had seen me naked, but that wasn't it. You can see me naked any time you wish, you only have to ask."

"Quistis" Squall protested, blushing deeply.

Quistis explained "I was embarrassed, because I was publicly humiliated by being stripped stark naked by strangers and you were there to witness it. I just wanted the entire situation to disappear and it wouldn't - not until I allow it to."

Quistis drew a deep breath and declared, "There I said it, and I do feel better. Now it's your turn."

Squall began to shake his head and Quistis responded, "You do know Rinoa will be here anytime and I'm not leaving the room, until you talk to me. This could get very _ sticky," _ she threatened.

"Okay" Squall surrendered. "I felt totally inadequate, because I wasn't able to protect you, and." Squall paused for a long second and then spoke in a rush, "I feel horribly guilty that I didn't speak, when you called out to me and, yet, at the same time, I realized I acted in the proper manner to keep us both alive."

"Of course you did" Quistis agreed.

Squall fell silent and then finally glanced away from the intent gaze of Quistis. Perceiving Squall had more to relate and hearing the doctor moving down the hallway and someone entering the clinic, Quistis implored, "We haven't much time. Just say it."

"The thing is," he began. "Squall" Quistis interrupted, "It doesn't count, if you're not looking at me."

Squall looked up at Quistis's, now sympathetic, face and confessed "I'm ashamed, because despite the horror of the situation and the uncertainty of whether we were going to live or die at any minute, underneath it all I really enjoyed seeing you naked."

"Oh, Squall" Quistis responded, "I should hope so. You're only human after all, aren't you?"

Quistis heard the sound of Rinoa's voice speaking to the doctor in the office and she leaned down and gave Squall a quick hug saying, "Thank you so much for everything." And she quickly left the clinic room.

Stepping into the clinic, Rinoa recognized the doctor strolling into her office from the hallway leading to the patient rooms.

"How's he doing?" Rinoa asked breathlessly.

"He's doing fine" Doctor Kadowaki reassured her. "I'm going to keep him for another hour just to be on the safe side, but you should be able to come get him then."

"Thank Hyne" Rinoa whispered and turned to enter the hallway leading to his room.

"How's Akane holding up?" asked the doctor.

Turning back to the doctor, Rinoa answered "As well as can be expected with everything she has been through. She's had one hell of a twenty-four hours, pardon my Galbadian."

Rinoa continued, "She's sleeping in my bed right now, the poor thing."

"I'll try to check in on her later, if I get the opportunity" the doctor volunteered.

"Thanks, I'd really appreciate it."

As Rinoa stepped into the hallway, she was surprised to observe Quistis leaving Squall's room. Quistis silently nodded at Rinoa and moved quickly around her and out of the clinic. Entering Squall's room, Rinoa was not surprised to see Squall laying flat on his back appearing totally bored. Leaning down, she embraced him in a big hug and noticed he winced. Stepping back quickly, she asked "Are you still in pain?"

"No, just a little sore" Squall admitted, "When am I getting outta here?"

"The doctor said in about an hour," Rinoa explained. "What did Quistis want?"

Squall flushed and, glancing away, answered, "She just wanted to talk for a minute."

Rinoa immediately perceived, knowing Squall as well as she did, that he was lying and thought "I'll worm this out of him later."

Rinoa smiled and asked, "What do you think about us becoming parents?"

Squall suddenly sat bolt upright appearing completely panic stricken. "What are you talking about?! Are you - you know?"

"No, silly. I'm talking about Akane, although someday naturally I would love us to have a child together."

With a ghastly parody of a grin appearing on his face, Squall spoke "Yes me too, but many _ somedays _ from now."

"Oh you!" Rinoa responded, offering him her most wondrous smile.

"Did you hear?" Rinoa asked excitedly, "Xu returned to her room from the clinic a couple of days ago."

"Yeah, so?" Squall commented totally disinterested.

"My father is still living there with her! He and Xu are a _ couple!" _

This suprising statement managed to pique Squall's interest. "How do you feel about the possibility of having Xu as a step-mother?"

"I think it's wonderful and I'm so happy for my father. He's been so lonely, since my mother died so many years ago."

"This could mean Xu could become the _ First Lady _ of Galbadia," Squall speculated.

Suddenly Seifer appeared looming in the doorway. "Squall" he said.

Squall responded, "Seifer" and nodded at him. Seifer nodded back and left the room as quickly as he had appeared.

Rinoa shook her head silently, completely perplexed at that interaction or rather lack of.

* * *

General Caraway, clad only in a short striped bathrobe, stepped back into Xu's room from the corridor. "Where have you been?" Xu asked from behind the door of her private bathroom. Rank does have its privileges.

"I just spoke with Rinoa out in the hall and informed her about us" he answered.

Xu opened the bathroom door and hobbled into the room on her crutches. She was completely nude except for the leg cast she was still forced to wear. Her huge breasts swayed as she made her way to where General Caraway was standing. "Oh Dark Bahamut!" Xu exclaimed, "What did she say?"

The General bestowed a large smile on Xu and responded, "She appeared to be delighted for both of us."

"Oh, thank Hyne," Xu sighed. "I've been so worried about what she was going to think and whether she was going to be able to accept me in a new role."

"What's not to accept?" murmured General Caraway as he reached out and gently pulled Xu to him. Balanced on her crutches, she reached down and pulled open the sash of his bathrobe liberating his straining manhood. "I do love you so," she cried passionately.

* * *

As Seifer strode down the corridor from the infirmary following his _ conversation _ with Squall, he was pleasantly surprised to observe Mishima quickly approaching him on her way to check on Squall's condition.

Treading up to him, she paused and greeted, "Seifer, you've been busy while I was gone. You know, you've always _ rocked my world, _ but you were always such a screw-up I could never tell you. And now you've gone amd become a SeeD" Mishima continued, while leaning forward and rubbing his uniform shirt with her right hand.

"You've been busy yourself" Seifer responded, while cupping Mishima's right breast through her flimsy mid-riff white blouse with his left hand.

"Maybe we should take this to a less public place" Mishima suggested in a husky voice.

After walking silently together to his dorm room, Seifer unlocked the door and the two of them stepped inside. Seifer turned to close the door and lock it and, when he turned back, he was startled to observe Mishima slipping her suspenders off her shoulders and pulling her mid-riff white blouse over her enormous, beautifully shaped breasts and then over her head and off her body. Seifer stood completely transfixed as Mishima lay her blouse on the floor and then pushed her extremely, short, black skirt down to her feet. She then stepped out of her sheer panties and stood nakedly before him clad only in her shoes.

"Oh, _ Hyperion. _ You're so beautiful," Seifer murmured.

Mishima blushed prettily and lowered herself to her knees in front of Seifer. She reached up and unbuckled his belt and pulled his uniform trousers down to the floor. Seifer never wore any underwear. Remaining on her knees, Mishima began to kiss him everywhere she could reach.

"Oh, Great Hyne!" Seifer exclaimed.

* * *

Later in the evening, Kasumi and Shinji were talking in his dormitory room. He lay in his bed with his sheets pulled up to his chin and Kasumi was standing on the floor beside him.

"You'd better go, Kasumi" Shinji cautioned. "It's getting late."

"Not until I check your bandages," Kasumi insisted.

"They're fine" Shinji protested, flushing heavily.

"What's with you this evening?" Kasumi wondered. "You've been acting weird since I got back from Deiling City" Kasumi acccused and she suddenly reached down and pulled the sheets completely off the startled Shinji.

Shinji lay completely naked except for the bandages wrapped around his chest. "Oh, I get it now" Kasumi said while leaning over and gently unwrapping his bandages to check his stitches for any leakage. "You've been _ busy _ with yourself when I was gone" she giggled. "I hope it was me you were fantasizing about."

Rewrapping his bandages, Kasumi said, "They look fine, but what's this thing?" Kasumi gently brushed her hand on his suddenly extended protuberance.

Shinji audibly gasped while Kasumi removed her uniform blouse and skirt and stood stark naked before him.

"Kasumi!" Shinji exclaimed, "You weren't wearing anything under your uniform."

"A good SeeD has to be ready for any contingency" Kasumi intoned while climbing up on top of Shinji. Lowering herself on to him, she murmured, "Oh, it's so good to be _ back in the saddle again." _

* * *

After dutifully retrieving Squall from the clinic at the appointed time, Rinoa helped him back to his room in the men's dormitory. After they entered the room, Squall sat heavily on his bed in preparation of immediately laying down.

"Oh no, you don't" Rinoa protested, "You're not going to sleep in that torn up clothing." And she began to strip off his jacket before Squall could lodge a complaint. Tossing his jacket into the corner of the room, she commented, "You're going to have to get a new jacket. That one is totally ruined."

"I was planning on having you sew it" Squall retorted with a grin.

Continuing to undress him by removing his badly shredded shirt, Rinoa replied, "Is _ that _ all you think I'm good for?"

Presently bare-chested, Squall answered "That among other things."

"Like what?" Rinoa responded and then ordered him to stand up. Regaining his feet, Squall stood while Rinoa proceeded to remove his badly damaged pants. Squall stood clad incongruously in his blood stained jockey-shorts and heavy boots.

"Oh, I don't know. I'll probably think of something" he replied.

"Rinoa, don't!" Squall protested as she suddenly yanked his partially shredded underwear completely off his body.

"You're not wearing this bloody thing to bed," Rinoa explained while throwing the jockey-shorts over with his ruined jacket.

"Sukooru," Rinoa spoke, using her _ pet _ name for Squall. "What did Quistis want?" Rinoa questioned and when Squall remained silent, she suddenly dropped to her knees and began to expertly apply her mouth to his lengthening manhood.

"Oh Rinoa!" Squall exclaimed.

A few moments later, a fully dressed Rinoa lay cuddled beside a totally nude Squall in his narrow dormitory bed while he related to her the events, which occurred when he and Quistis were imprisoned in the D-District Prison and the present aftermath of Quistis's feelings concerning this. When he had finished his recounting, Rinoa replied "Oh, the poor thing. No wonder she's been acting so strangely."

"Strangely?" Squall echoed, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, Squall," Rinoa accused, "Sometimes I think the only thing you notice is yourself!"

Flushing at the implied criticism, Squall retorted, "Well, I have the wherewithal to _ notice _ that I'm laying in my bed nude with a beautiful woman!"

Squall leaned over and began to kiss Rinoa, gently at first and then more passionately as he thrust his tongue into her mouth while reaching down and removing her black shorts. Rinoa began to return his kisses in earnest while pulling him to her in a close embrace, while he grasped her underwear pulling it off as well.

As Squall and Rinoa continued to passionately kiss while twisting and turning the entire time on Squall's narrow bed, Squall managed to, with the touch of an expert, remove Rinoa's shirt and bra, leaving her only wearing her extremely short blue skirt. As Rinoa continued to hold Squall close to her, he felt her hardened nipples poking into his bare chest and she felt something hard stabbing her in the lower belly.

Suddenly breaking contact with Rinoa's mouth, Squall pulled himself up to his knees with his manhood sticking out in front of him and as he gazed down upon Rinoa's beautiful face, and her fulsome breasts and her extremely narrow waist above her beautiful brunette pubic haired vagina and her long exquisitely sculpted legs Squall realized _ once again _ why he allowed himself to be manipulated into every one of her harebrained schemes.

"You are so beautiful," Squall murmured while leaning over Rinoa.

"Oh, Squall! I love you so much!" Rinoa cried and drew him close again to her body.

* * *

Quistis, with Kazuya standing slightly behind her, knocked upon the door of Melissa Jenkins. Opening the door, Melissa stood stiffly recognizing Quistis and spoke flatly without a hint of emotion, "Quistis."

"I would like you to meet Kazuya" Quistis introduced, as he quickly stepped past her and into the room.

When Melissa spun around to angrily protest his uninvited intrusion into her room, Quistis followed him closing the door. While quickly bending over and removing her long brown boots, Quistis stood up and pulled off her brown gloves and long, detachable sleeves. While watching as Kazuya began to relieve the stunned Melissa of her long cotton nightgown, Quistis explained, "I like all my friends to become acquainted with each other" as she pulled the zipper down on her orange blouse allowing it to fall to the floor exposing her abundant breasts and then unfastened her long skirt and removed it leaving her standing totally nude.

Kazuya finished pulling Melissa's long nightgown over her head and completely off her body. Melissa stood with tears in her eyes, her long beautiful blonde hair falling to her shoulders, her copious breasts heaving with excitement and her blonde haired genital region opened in invitation as Kazuya removed his uniform shirt and trousers and, after kicking off his slippers, stood as naked as on the day he was born.

As Kazuya quickly stepped around behind Melissa gripping her by the waist with his two large hands and pulling her to him while kissing her gently with the touch of a velvet glove all down her back, Quistis stepped forward and began to passionately kiss Melissa again and again.

"Oh, Quistis" Melissa moaned with happiness.

* * *

As it was nearing midnight, Zell had finally reached a point of exhaustion where he thought he could immediately drop off to sleep. Just as he was stepping out of his red and blue striped boxer shorts in preparation of climbing into bed, he was amazed to observe his dormitory room door open and the pigtail girl step inside his room and close the door.

"Holy shit!" Zell expostulated while attempting to hide his genital area with his cupped hands. The pigtail girl stepped forward and pulled his hands away revealing his substantial erection.

Blushing furiously, Zell responded "What are you doing, Na-?"

"I promised you a _ surprise _ when you returned from Deiling City" the pigtail girl interrupted. And she proceeded to quickly remove her uniform blouse and skirt and then stripped off her bra and panties and stood stark naked in front of the astonished Zell.

"Oh Shiva" he moaned.

Taking Zell by the hand, the pigtail girl led Zell to the bed while saying, "I figured if I waited for you to make a move, I'd die a virgin."

"Oh Shiva" Zell moaned again. The pigtail girl giggled.

* * *

Selphie lay tossing and turning in her narrow bed for well over an hour, but was unable to find any solace in sleep from her feelings. In frustration she finally gave up and sat on the side of her bed. Glancing over in the dim light at the figure of Akane who was soundly sleeping in Rinoa's bed, Selphie thought "Just like that _ wanton _ Rinoa to run off and spend the night with Squall doing Hyne knows what perversion and leaving me this child to take care of."

Selphie had enough insight into herself to realize her current mean spiritedness was coming from feelings of immense disquietude, which she had been unable to fathom. She suddenly decided she needed to talk to someone about her feelings. Selphie arose from the side of the bed and crossed to her closet. She pulled out a robe and slipped it around her bare body making sure to conceal her private body parts by tying the sash tightly and then exited the room. Selphie had decided to search for Irvine and she strode with purpose in her bare feet down the women's corridor to the door that led to the men's dormitory.

* * *

Ellone also found herself unable to sleep and realizing that Laguna was known to be an inveterate insomniac himself, she decided to go and search for him. Dressing quietly so as to not awaken the female upper-classman that she was temporarily _ bunking _ with, she then let herself out of the room.

Ellone strode along the rotunda peering down the different corridors as she moved along, but only occasionally saw a random SeeD or upper-classman that was assigned midnight shift duty. Finally giving up in her hope of finding Laguna, she wandered down the halls aimlessly until she happened to find herself in front of Squall's room.

Wondering if he could possibly still be awake, she knocked gently upon the door. When she heard nothing from within the room, on a whim she attempted to turn the doorknob and was surprised to discover it unlocked. Stepping quietly into the room, Ellone was startled to observe the beautiful nude bodies of Squall and Rinoa sleeping intertwined with each other on Squall's bed.

"Well, he certainly has changed. A year ago he hadn't even kissed a girl," Ellone thought to herself while exiting the room, closing the door behind her and heading back to her room.

* * *

On the following morning, Akane was speaking to Irvine, Selphie and the pigtail girl at the cafeteria table, where they just had finished eating their breakfast. "My mother was taking care of me, when my papa was at the Garden. And then she suddenly died from _ Trabia Fever _ and he decided he needed to disappear to take care of me. I guess he felt he wouldn't be welcomed at the Garden with a four year old child but, seeing the way it is here, I think he was mistaken."

As Sephie nodded her head in agreement of what Akane was saying from across the table, Akane continued, "Something bad happened to papa when my mother died. He became cold and distant and was totally aloof from me, unless it involved his teaching me how to use magic or martial arts training. That's practically the only time I saw him after my mother died. Of course, he always hired me the best tutors, but I grew up alone. I had no friends...you all are the first friends I've ever had."

As the pigtail girl wiped some tears from her eyes, Selphie leaned across the table and offered Akane a big hug.

Always the one to be uncomfortable with any real emotion and realizing Akane was wearing a new upper-classman uniform, Irvine changed the subject by asking, "Where's your new outfit?"

Akane grinned across the table at him. "I retired that, _ Uncle _ Irvine."

"Aw, hell" thought Irvine.

"Where's Rinoa?" Akane asked. "She didn't come back to the room last night."

"Uh" Irvine stammered, hard pressed to arrive at an appropriate response, as Selphie maliciously grinned at him. "There she is now" Irvine exclaimed, immediately grateful for the serendipitous arrival of Rinoa in the cafeteria.

Rinoa, dressed _ only _ in her slinky, short, yellow dress and yellow high heels, strutted toward their table. "Hi Rinoa!" Akane shouted out. Rinoa responded lovingly, "Good morning, Akane. It's great to see you out and about."

Irvine questioned, "What's going on, Rinoa? Why are you all dressed up?"

"I have an appointment with Cid in a couple of minutes" she explained. "I just stopped by to say hi."

As Rinoa was leaving, she suggested, "Meet me in front of the elevators on the first floor in a few minutes. I should be free by then."

After Rinoa had exited the cafeteria, Selphie asked the pigtail girl "Where's Zell this morning?"

The pigtail girl giggled and explained, "Zell was up extremely late in bed last night."

"Oh Great Hyne!" Selphie thought, "Her too! - I must be the last holdout."

Selphie suddenly announced, "Guess what everybody? Irvine and I are getting married."

As the pigtail girl and Akane sat rooted in dumbfounded silence, Irvine protested, "Aw, Sefie. I just asked you to marry me. I didn't say when."

The pigtail girl finally managed to respond, "That's wonderful! Congratulations to the both of you."

Selphie answered, "Thank you uh - I'm sorry, what is your name again?"

The pigtail girl angrily blurted out "My name is Nabiki! I think it's a very pretty name. What's so difficult about remembering it?"

Selphie was completely taken aback and, before she could respond in any manner, Irvine, hoping to defuse the situation, suggested, "We need to leave, you all. They're waiting to clean our table."

When Nabiki, Selphie, Irvine and Akane were arriving in front of the first floor elevators, they noticed Squall, Ellone and Laguna ambling toward them.

Nabiki, stepping forward, spoke in an awe filled voice, "What a thrill this is to meet you, President Loire. My name is Nabiki," she continued, while holding out her right hand.

Laguna shook it and replied, "Honored, I'm sure, but please call me Laguna."

Glancing at the rest of the group, Laguna explained, while resting his right hand on Squall's shoulder, "I was just telling my son and Ellone that Galbadia has sued for peace. I have asked for no reparations - just that they vacate the territories they have overrun. They appear to be anxiously awaiting General Caraway's return to take over the reins of their government."

Squall commented with a slight grin, "They may have to wait a little while longer. I have a feeling he's a bit preoccupied."

Just then the elevator opened, and Rinoa came strutting down the staircase toward them. "Guess what, everybody?" she exclaimed. "Cid just made me an instructor! Isn't he just a sweetheart?"

"Oh Great Fiery Balls of Ifrit!" Selphie retorted.

The End?

Author's Afterword

Hey - it just occurred to me as I was proofing this chapter that this could be continued as a really goofy sequel - Rinoa and Squall hear wedding bells - Zell serves as the best man and naturally loses the ring - don't worry, Nabiki saves the day - Selphie as the maid of honor - Irvine _ hitting _ on all the bridesmaids - General Caraway flying in with his new bride Xu from Deiling (or is it Deling) City to give Rinoa away - (a real tear jerker) - Squall and Rinoa moving into a little house in Balamb with Akane in the spare bedroom - Akane doing all the typical teenage _ acting out _ behaviors which stretch Squall's patience to the breaking point - Akane's run-ins with Big Bad Rascal. And that's just the start. Stay tuned. I feel a sequel coming and it's rolling round the bend.

Now it's my turn - I know, I know, - you're thinking I already had my turn - all 90,000+ words of it. No, this is different. This is where I explain.

First off I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to review my fan fic; everyone except for 'A reader with taste' who saw fit to review me as a person (even though she/he/it knows nothing about me personally) and her/his/its wannabe Riana Z, who said that "a reader with taste' had already said everything she wanted to say. What'd she do - read the review and then my chapter?

Now - characters. The first review I got said I missed Squall's true character. Which true character might that be? The one who I've read all of the sudden doesn't know again if he loves Rinoa or not or the one who is in love with Quistis or the one who is in love with Zell (perish the thought). I've read a lot of fan fics in which Squall is more distant, angry and alone than at anytime in the game.

Hello people - remember the story from the game? Squall has come to terms with his childhood issues and has also been able to get in touch with his emotions and declare his love for Rinoa. Remember the final cinema shot? That was Squall SMILING. I very unsubtly had several people in my fan fic mention that Squall had changed. Therefore which Squall are we talking about when we say I didn't get his character right?

Squall was intelligent, caring, heroic and had a slight sense of humor. I was assuming he would have continued to grow some psychologically.

Now for the big one - Rinoa! I am not a Rinoa basher - I like Rinoa. Like is the key word. I like Rinoa. I don't love Rinoa. I don't worship Rinoa. I don't adore Rinoa. Just because she has those angel wings doesn't make her an angel - it's just a limit breaker. When I looked back through the story considering whether to cut out later some of the nude Rinoa scenes it struck me just how few words were used to write these scenes in comparison to 90,000+ words in the entire fan fic. I thought of counting all the words used in the nude scenes and then figuring out a percentage but then assumed that it would come across as too anal-retentive. And yet so many reviews made it sound as if there were hundreds of nude Rinoa scenes. Why? Quistis had a number of nude scnes and Selphie had even more - in fact I'm not sure if Selphie didn't have as many nude scenes as Rinoa and you didn't see anybody writing about too many Selphie nude scenes. Why?

Because most fans think Rinoa is special and doesn't deserve such treatment - I tended to write about her as a person and not a princess. Did you ever stop to think how Rinoa showed up in that yellow dress and manipulated Cid into sending three SeeDs out on an open ended contract for little or no money. Obviously I did. I see Rinoa as a very driven individual who will do whatever it takes to get the job done. She was certainly single minded enough when it came to pursuing Squall. She came on to Squall like gangbusters from the very first second she saw him - you know that - always touching and hugging and sitting in his lap. How long do you suppose it was after the closing cinema shot of the Garden floating away before Rinoa had Squall in bed. And - oops - this brings us to sex. I decided when I sat down to write this, they wouldn't be pristine cardboard characters from a video game, but young attractive people who lived in close quarters generally and lived in very close quarters when they were on a mission together. Despite their ages, these aren't high school kids - they have the life experience of your typical Navy Seal. If you were facing life and death every day, wouldn't you coop for a little nightly comfort with a sweet young thing like the female characters in this are? Or the male, whatever your case may be?

Now to Selphie - I made Selphie intelligent, capable, bossy and appearing as though she's slightly jealous of Rinoa, but in actuality she is just sexually repressed and Rinoa's behavior keeps breaking through Selphie's denial system causing her to feel uncomfortable and she takes it out on Rinoa. I got this characterization of Selphie from the story in the game, i.e. when Irvine first attempts to put his move on her on the train - she overreacts like crazy - jumping up and down and yelling no, no, and from her comment to Rinoa at the flower field, when Rinoa asks Selphie about her and Irvine, and she says no - she just likes to hang with close friends and her total lack of understanding involving Irvine's motivation for helping her set up the concert. So of course since she's repressed sexually, she is also preoccupied with it and keeps being drawn to it in all facets of her relationships - even to the point of not being able to look at a nude person of the same sex.

Irvine - one reviewer accused Irvine of being a rapist. I'm sorry - whose story were they reading? Did any of you out there read that I had Irvine attempting to rape somebody. Yes - Irvine is a pervert and yes - he likes to look. Wouldn't you if you could get away with it? But rape? - hardly. Irvine's theory is if he can get them stripped down, then they'll naturally succumb to his fatal good looks and charm. And come on already - did he rape Usagi - the downstairs maid - yes, it was Sailor Moon on her day job. Good thing 'a reader with taste' didn't read that far or they really would have some ammo to blast me with - I knew who Sailor Moon was. Did Irvine rape Trepie #2? Of course not. And he would have scored if it weren't for Selphie's untimely interruption. And by the way, how many nude Irvine scenes, were there? Nobody apparently got tired of them. And, granted he was slimy, but he didn't rape Akane, he just cannily manipulated her into his bed. And if I'm not mistaken the rest of the review made a reference about how unlikely it would be that Selphie would keep taking him back. Oh yeah, that's right - I forgot - women never take men back who have cheated on them in real life - do they?

Next the person who I thought would be the most controversial - Quistis. And I haven't heard a peep of complaint. Quistis is not gay or even bi-sexual. She is just sexually acting out because of her horrible experiences in the D-District Prison. I did make a couple of references to this and maybe people caught it or maybe they liked thinking Quistis as bi-sexual - I don't know. Now Melissa Jenkins is gay and she and Quistis have known each other since they were ten years old, so probably at that early age through say eleven or twelve they did some experimenting, but Quistis outgrew it - Melissa never did. So no one knew but me how slimy and manipulative Melissa was being when she saw Quistis in a vulnerable position following her experiences in the prison (I never want to write D-District again) and seduced her. No doubt, as you're reading this, Xu or the doctor have already straightened Quistis out concerning her love life and she's straight as an arrow again. By the way, when I was writing this (and I don't know if it's been done before) I had a terrific idea for a fan fic about when Quistis became a SeeD at the age of fifteen, which would make Squall, Seifer and Zell fourteen and on her first mission as a SeeD - you could probably also have a younger Xu as an older SeeD just before her promotion. But I'm not interested in doing this, because I have enough to do right now - I'm involved in two co-writing assignments with another one waiting in the wings. So if you like the idea, go ahead and steal it.

Zell - what to say about Zell that hasn't already been said. He blushes a lot, is shy around women, likes to wipe his hand off on his shorts before he shakes hands and he kicks ass.

Now for something more complicated - Akane and Rinoa. Akane had a love/hate relationship with Rinoa right from the beginning and it had nothing to do with her assignment. Of course she consciously viewed Rinoa as someone from whom she could milk information, but subconsciously she found herself strangely drawn to Rinoa. Once you know the extent of Akane's childhood background it's no longer a mystery. Akane's mother died when Akane was an extremely young age and was raised by a cold and aloof father who she adored but felt no connection to emotionally. Akane's subconscious immediately began transference with Rinoa, a slightly older, much more wordly female mother figure, but consciously Akane would tell herself that Rinoa stood for everything she hated and she would not only pull back, she would act in a manner that would bring harm to Rinoa, i.e. hesitating to attack while on the beach at Centra or manipulating Rinoa to show herself to Nida in the clinic (Not another nude Rinoa scene that has nothing to do with the plot!). But after having deliberately done something spiteful to Rinoa to drive her away, Akane felt strangely drawn to beg for forgiveness, (and it had nothing to do with her mission) because her subconscious would not allow her to drive her mother figure away.

Now on to the disciplinary room - I am going to rewrite that and make it less sensational and more reality based - but it will still be a good _ cat fight. _ Regression is a form of Schizophrenia and they often have to put large diapers on people - that's what I going to do with Akane in the new scene. Boy, that calls up a picture in your mind, doesn't it? Akane in a large diaper? And they've had some success with treating the patient as if they were literally a baby and gave them bottles and rocked them and tucked them into giant cribs and literally raised them from an infant back to being an adult. Of course Akane's schizophrenia is not bio-chemically based but situational - in other words she found failure to be so unacceptable that she mentally retreated to an infantile state - again her subconscious was responsible. It was not a conscious decision on her part.

Well, there you have it - do you still think it was just a mindless romp through the world of Final Fantasy 8 - yeah, probably. If you read all this, thanks a lot again.

RobertDogwood 


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